
Class 

Book_ ! 

Copyright]^ - i. 



COEOUGHT DEPOSIT. 




DR. J. A. ROBERTS 

Judge, Writer, Lecturer and Breeder of Cavies. 

Pacific Coast Secretary 

of 

The Western Cavy Breeders' Association. 



plllllilllllllllllllllllll!lll!lllllllllllllllllllllll1lllllllll!IIIIN 

| Profit in Guinea Pigs | 

Breeding, Management, 
Varieties and Practical 
Knowledge of C a vies 





| — BY 

J. A. ROBERTS, D. V. M. 

Graduate Chicago Veterinary? College 

^!l!l!llll!ll!lll!lllllllllllllll]||ll!i!lllllllll]|||||!lili:illlH 












Published 

and 

Copyrighted, 1922, 

by 
DR. J. A. ROBERTS, i 



MAR 1 7 1922 
g)C!.A659783 






CONTENTS 



Page 

Introduction 9 

Cavies (Poem) - 10 

Origin of Cavy 13 

Development of Cavy 13 

Commercial Use of Cavies 17 

Cavies for Food 20 

Cavies for Fur 25 

Housing of Cavies 29 

Feeding of Cavies 35 

Breeding of Laboratory Cavies 42 

Exhibition of Cavies 45 

Grooming and Preparing for Exhibition 46 

Cavy Breeders' Association (Article) 48 

Ailments of Cavies 50 

Summary 55 

Meat and Fur Production (Article) 71 

Breeding of Show Cavies 74 

Judging Show Cavies (Article) 81 

Guinea Pig Industry (Article) 87 

Climate and Cavies (Article) 90 

Cavy Industry of the South 93 







tt o 

PQ 3 

O ** 



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PROFIT IN GUINEA PIGS 

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Introduction 

The subject of Cavies is one that has attracted world- 
wide attention, and there are many ideas advanced along 
different lines. We shall try and give you in plain 
words our opinions as to securing the best results and 
success in raising Cavies, and also pertaining to the 
Cavy Industry. 

Cavies offer unlimited possibilities to the public, and 
as the cavy industry is practically in its infancy at the 
present time, there is a wonderful chance to get into the 
field when it is young and make considerable money, 
depending, of course, on the number and the quality of 
stock you start with and also regarding the increase, 
which is large, for cavies breed faster than any other 
animal. 

The raising of cavies is one of the most fascinating 
propositions known, and in order that this book may 
be accurate and complete as possible, T have not hesi- 
tated to approach various specialists; and in this connec- 
tion I am particularly indebted to the following gentle- 
men, all of whom are up-to-date breeders of the modern 
cavy : Mr. E. D. Wheeler, Secretary of the Western 
Cavy Breeders' Association; Mr. E. D. Corrin, President 
of the Western Cavy Breeders' Association; Judge 
Lewis S. J. Griffin, Mr. E. G. Haberstroh, Cavy Experts; 
Otto M. Locke, Jr., Southern Cavy Expert and Chief 
Judge; Chas. S. Gibson, Organizer of the National 
Breeders' and Fanciers' Association, Inc. 



Mine 



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%J£* Cavies m~£* 

Cavies are small, but of great importance to us all, 
Some people contract diseases and hear the death call . 
Many have died in the past years who we knew, 
And you never can tell — the next may be you. 

Many died because science at that time did not find 
It could produce serums from cavies of every kind. 
Many a soldier and person who lives today 
Owe their lives to the cavy in just this way. 

Cavies have brought gladness to many a home, 
In cases of sickness — not only alone, 
But wealth they have brought to many breeders, 
And they will do the same for you, my dear readers. 

If you do not neglect them and will care for them well, 
Then you will have numerous cavies to sell, 
As they are easy to raise, the work not hard to do, 
And a thousand breeding sows can be cared for by you. 

Always select good stock when you start in to buy, 
Then the offspring will be strong and will seldom die. 
It pays any one when starting in to buy the best, 
Because this class of stock will always stand the test. 

No business in the world was built in one day, 

But time, patience and persistence will pave the way. 

Cavy raising I am sure you will enjoy, 

And no matter how many, they never annoy. 

It is not like raising poultry that you attend to a lot, 
And get up at night to see if the incubator is too hot, 
For the days may be cold and the wind may blow, 
But the cavies will bear young for a fact, you know. 



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Hens fail to lay if the weather is not right, 
But the cavies will have their young", even at night. 
The hen will earn one dollar in a year, perhaps two, 
But figure for yourself what the cavy will do. 

Get into a business that is young like tin's. 
Then there will be no chance for you to miss. 
You will share in the profits of the industry now. 
And be selling your stock at $5.00 per sow. 

Join the Western Cavy Breeders' Association, 
And they will give you all the necessary information 
As to promoting the cavy industry in the United States, 
Also the big shows held various places on certain dates. 

-By DR. ]. A. ROBERTS. 




WHITE PERUVIAN MALE 



Eleven 



PROFIT IN GUINEA PIGS 

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Origin of Cavy 



GUINEA PIGS are native to South America. In 
their wild state they are slightly smaller than our 
domestic guinea pig and of an ugly, grayish- 
brown color. In the sixteenth century they were 
taken by the Spaniards into Europe, where they under- 
went considerable change in the process of domestica- 
tion. However, they are still hunted in South America 
by the natives and are considered one of their best game 
foods. They live around trees and cliffs. Guinea pigs 
found in North America were mostly brought from Eu- 
rope. Previous to the arrival of Europeans on the West 
Coast of South America there were only a few domestic 
animals which could be used as food. The guinea pig 
was one of them, so you can see that the cavies were of 
great importnce as a food supply. We are told that the 
Indians had great numbers of cavies in and about their 
houses. 

It can be safely said that the general knowledge of the 
origin is very limited. 

The wide interest shown in cavies during the war 
goes to show the value of these little animals. Guinea 
pigs played a very important part in our last war, and 
also previous wars. Many a wounded soldier owes his 
life to one of these little animals. 

DEVELOPMENT OF CAVY 

It has not been until late years that people have put 
forth great efforts to bring out the possibilities of the 
variation of colors and setting aside a certain standard 
to work on. In color, cavies were described as all white 
and all yellow. 

Thirteen 



PROFIT IN GUINEA PIGS 



- ;■ "V :,:,■!,■;.,! 




Upper Left— BLACK AND WHITE PERUVIAN FEMALE. 
Upper Right— BLACK PERUVIAN MALE. 
Lower Left— BLACK ABYSSINIAN. (Note Rosettes.) 
Lower Right— SILVER AGOUTI CHAMPION MALE. 
The Above Are Show Stock. 
The Short-Haired Breeds Are More Desirable for Laboratories. 



PROFIT IN GUINEA PIGS 

!||||||||!lll!lllf|||||||||!l|||||||||||||||||||||||l!llllllllllllllllllllllllllllll!IIIIIIIIIIIIIIH 

A confusion of colors, lacking definition, adorned the 
coats of the old-time guinea pig. Today they are bred 
to a principle, reproduce faithfully, and, as year succeeds 
year, one sees the introduction and establishment of 
new, distinct, beautiful sub-varieties. Color is brilliant, 
deep, pure and charming; markings are brought to an 
established standard ; coats in the smooth-haired varie- 
ties are of a short and silky nature, while in some of 
the self-colored varieties, such as blacks and reds, the 
color is carried right down to the toes, and even to the 
toe-nails. A standard of perfection in breeding exhibi- 
tion cavies today has become a science upon well- 
defined lines. Points in shape are developed and bred 
with unerring accuracy; colors are purified and intensi- 
fied with success, astonishing even to specialists them- 
selves. The eye of the old-time guinea pig would 
contrast in size to that of the modern cavy almost as a 
pea to a bean. Again, there has been wonderful devel- 
opment in the process of breeding for size, head proper- 
ties, and general contour. All round there are the same 
evidences of modernity and advancement in the animal 
itself. 

Standards of excellence are drawn up. shows held, 
and others encouraged by the gift of special prizes, and 
in a hundred and one ways the development of the cavy 
fancy has progressed. 

There are varied specimens of cavies; some are smooth 
haired, which are called the English; medium long 
haired, which are called Abyssinian, and the long haired, 
which are called the Peruvian, and come in many col- 
ors. Below you will find a classification of the Western 
Cavy Breeders' Association : 

1. Abyssinian — White. 

2. Abyssinian — Black. 

3. Abyssinian — Red. 

4. Abyssinian — Cream. 

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5 
6 
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Abyssinian — Golden Agouti. 
Abyssinian — Broken colors. 
English — White. 
English — Black. 
English — Red. 
English — Cream. 
English — Chocolate. 
English — Tortoiseshell. 
English — Tortoise and White. 
English — Silver Agouti. 
English — Golden Agouti. 
English — Himalayans. 
English — Dutch. 
English — Blue. 
English — Brindle. 
English — Broken colors. 
Peruvians — Black. 
Peruvians — White. 
Peruvians — Red. 
Peruvians — Creams. 
Peruvians — Broken colors. 
Angora (Peruvian Silkies). 
Miscell 



aneous. 



HAPPY AND 
CONTENTED 

Don't Scratch, 
Bite or Burrow. 




Sixteen 



PROFIT IN GUINEA PIGS 



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Commercial Use of Cavies 

THE uses of cavies are many, and a classification of 
same would be: Laboratory uses, which is the 
largest; Food, which is becoming - of more impor- 
tance each year, and Fur. Under the heading of 
Laboratory purposes would come the making up of the 
various serums and antitoxins to combat the various dis- 
eases, such as pneumonia, typhoid fever, scarlet fever, 
diphtheria, malarial diseases, camp fevers, and many 
serums that are not entirely perfected at the present 
time. 




DUTCH BELTED ENGLISH CAVIES 

Every city, village or town in the entire United States 
all use serums made from cavies to counteract the 
effect of the above mentioned diseases. During the war 
every soldier who went across, and many in this coun- 
try, received from 4 to 27 injections of serum. The 
laboratory use, therefore, is considered the largest and 



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PROFIT IN GUINEA PIGS 

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is steadily increasing each year. There are over four- 
teen hundred laboratories, colleges and institutions in 
the United States that at certain times of the year use 
a great number of cavies. 

People are coming to realize that serums are the real 
means of overcoming many diseases, and the demand 
for same is becoming more pronounced each year. The 
United States Government issues a Bulletin, put out 
by the Agricultural Department, called "Guinea Pigs 
or Cavies, Farmer Bulletin No. 525." Any one can 
secure a copy of this Bulletin by writing them. 

Until recently Guinea Pigs were raised only as pets, 
and to some extent for food. They do not bite or scratch 
as some cats and dogs do, and because of this gentle and 
harmless nature they have been, and are still, great 
favorite as pets for children. In the past few years, 
however, it has been discovered that Guinea Pigs are 
excellently adapted for experimental purposes in such 
work as testing and standardizing serums and anti- 
toxins, in medical research work and in certain tests for 
ascertaining the presence of disease germs. 




ABYSSINIAN, BROKEN COLORED 



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PROFIT IN GUINEA PIGS 

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They are rapidly taking the place of white mice and 
rats for this purpose and the demand is rapidly increas- 
ing. They are used daily in thousands of hospitals, lab- 
oratories and colleges. This big demand, which is so 
much greater than the supply, explains why this new 
industry has come into existence and why there is so 
much to be realized from the raising of these little ani- 
mals. As medical research advances and the manufac- 
ture of serums and antitoxins increases, the demand for 
Guinea Pigs will be enormous, and those who make a 
business of supplying this demand are sure to get good 
returns for their investment. For example, we quote 
below a portion of an article published in a popular local 
newspaper recently : 



BLACK ENGLISH SOW 
Imported 



Nineteen 



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GUINEA PIGS DIE THAT FILIPINO BABIES 
MAY LIVE 

Scientific Feeding Experiments to Determine 
Good Native Food from Bad. 

MANILA, P. I. — Fifty guinea pigs are in a special 
room in the Bureau of Science building in Manila feast- 
ing to their hearts' content to teach a staff of food spe- 
cialists what Filipino diets are good and what ones are 
worthless. 

They constitute a part of the force working under the 
direction of Miss Hartlee Embrey, food chemist for the 
Rockefeller Foundation, who is here experimenting with 
food products in the Philippines in an effort to work out 
a balanced ration which will not cost the average Fili- 
pino a price out of his reach. 

Part of the guinea pigs eat one diet, while others feast 
on another. Some of them are fat as guinea pigs can 
get, while others are skinny and still others are dying 
with scurvy. The latter classes are martyrs to the 
cause. They are dying that Filipino babies may live. 

The effect of the foods under study on them will teach 
the food specialists, and through them the general pub- 
lic, that these foods are not to be eaten. 

CAVY AS FOOD 

There can be no doubt that once the general public 
becomes convinced of the suitability of the cavy for 
table purposes, a great impetus would be given to cavy 
breeding, as we all know, according to history, that 
cavies were the chief food of the Spaniards and that 
Europe has used the cavy as food for the last century. 
We have little doubt that before long no poultrv show 
will be complete without classes for cavies. This is 
now largely an accomplished fact, and we have good 

Twenty 



PROFIT IN GUINEA PIGS 

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reasons to hope that at a time not far distant cavy, in 
some of its savory and delicious preparations, will be 
considered requisite in good menus. Many of the larg- 
est and finest hotels in the United States are now serv- 
ing cavies, prepared in various ways, and a great many 
eating places are substituting cavy legs for frog legs, 
for there is not one in a thousand that can tell the 
difference. In this case they use the hind legs of the 
young cavy which is about one month old. There are 
a few concerns that put them up in cans, which are 
labeled "Pork Cavy Soup." However, there are numer- 
ous ways of canning them so as to give them a variety 
of flavors and adding vegetables to suit the taste. 

PREPARING THE CAVY.— The cavy can either be 
skinned, or simply scrape the hair off and prepare with 
the skin on. It is rather difficult to scrape the hair off, 
as they must be scalded in water of 180° F., and the hair 
scraped off with a knife; but this is difficult to do if the 
water is too hot. When the hair is removed, open the 
cavy and clean the same as a chicken or any other small 
animal. If one does not care to clean these animals 
themselves, they can take them to their butcher, who 
will kill and prepare them for cooking. 

We will give you a few recipes below which we are 
sure you will enjoy : 

"EXCELLENT CURRY.— Peel one Spanish onion, 
one small carrot ; pare and core one large, rather sour, 
apple ; mince these very fine and put them, with one 
ounce of butter, into an enameled stewpan ; fry to a 
golden brown, dredge in a tablespoonful of flour and let 
them take a rather high color; add Y^ pint of good stock, 
a pinch of celery seed, a small faggot of sweet herbs 
and a piece of garlic no larger than a pea. Stew for 
three hours. A full-grown cavy having been prepared 
for cooking, cut it up into joints and rub them with a 
tablespoonful of curry powder. The powder should not 

Tzventy-one 



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be very hot. Stir in the gravy as a puree through a 
■ coarse sieve, return it to the stewpan, add the cavy and 
curry powder, and salt to taste; bring it to a boil and 
immediately draw it back from the fire, letting it stew 
slowly, till the skin of the cavy is gelatinous and the 
flesh parts freely from the bone. If the gravy is too 
thick, moisten with a little stock; if too thin, take out 
the cavy and boil down till it is of the right consistency. 
See that it is properly salted and serve in an entree 
dish, with rice boiled dry in another dish." 

"The cavy makes an excellent white stock for veloute, 
white soup, etc.; for this purpose the cavies should be 
full-grown. It is needless to urge upon good cooks the 




MOTHER CAVY WITH YOUNG ONE DAY OLD 

value of a viand that will answer this purpose. A very 
nice, clear soup can be made by boiling down a couple 
of large cavies, with vegetables, to a consomme, and 
serving in it the prime joints of one or two delicate 



you'ng cavies which have 



been thoroughly stewed. 

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!ll!il!l!|i||l!l!!lllllll]lll!l!lll!llll!i 



Caw makes excellent pie, either to be eaten hot or cold, 
but should be stewed before being put into the pie, 
unless the pie be of the old English kind, with a short 
crust, and is baked a long time in a slow oven. In boiled 
pudding it is also very good. The pudding should be 
well boiled." 

"CAVY AUX FINES HERBES.— Take a full-grown 
and fat hog cavy, killed, scalded and cleaned as pre- 
viously described. Blanch it in one pint of boiling 
water, cut it into joints; make the water thick with a 
white roux of butter and flour. Put it over the fire in a 
moderate-sized stewpan ; stir till thick and quite smooth; 
add one tablespoonful of parsley and one of green onions 
or chives, chopped small, and pepper and salt to taste; 
stew the cavy in this for two hours, or until it is per- 
fectly tender. If a pint of stock be used instead of the 
water, this dish will be much improved ; thicken with 
the yolk of an egg, and serve." 




TORTOISE AND WHITE MALE CAVY 

"BROWN SOUP.— Place a large, fat cavy in two 
quarts of water, with vegetables; a middling-sized onion, 



T.wenty-thrge 



PROFIT IN GUINEA PIGS 

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cut into rings and fried brown ; pepper and salt to taste, 
a small blade of mace and two teaspoonfuls of mush- 
room ketchup. Stew for four or five hours over a brisk 
fire, keeping" the quantity of soup up to two quarts by 
adding boiling water occasionally. Strain the stock 
through a wire sieve, and thicken it with a brown roux. 
Have ready the best joints of two small cavies. Stew 
these very gently in the thickened stock until quite 
tender. The flavor may have diminished in the long 
cooking and some more seasoning may be required. 
Serve very hot, with fried toast, cut in dice." 

FRIED CAVY. — Wash and cut up a young cavy, 
season with salt and pepper, dredge with flour, or dip 
each piece in beaten egg and then in cracker crumbs. 
Put in a frying pan one ounce each of butter and sweet 
lard made boiling hot. Lay in the cavy and fry brown 
on both sides. Take up, drain it and set aside in a 
covered dish. 

Stir into the gravy left, if not too much, one table- 
spoon flour, make it smooth, add a cup of rich milk or 
cream, season with salt and pepper, boil up, and either 
pour over cavy or serve separately, as desired. Some 
like chopped parsley added to the gravy. 

CAVY EN CASSEROLE.— 1 tender cavy, y 2 cup 
Crisco, salt and pepper, 1 cup hot water, 1 cup hot sweet 
milk or cream, 2 cups chopped mushrooms, 1 tablespoon 
chopped parsley. 

Clean and skin cavy. Either cut up or split and lay in 
casserole. Spread over with Crisco, dust with salt and 
pepper, add hot water, cover closely and cook in hot 
oven about 45 minutes, or until done. When nearly ten- 
der, put in rich milk or cream, mushrooms and parsley. 
Cover again and cook about 20 minutes longer. Serve 
hot in the casserole. Oysters are sometimes substituted 
for mushrooms and will be found to impart a pleasing 
flavor. 

Twenty -four 



PROFIT IN GUINEA PIGS 

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FRICASEE OF CAVY.— Prepare and cut up as for 

fried cavy. Put in sauce pan with just enough boiling 
water to cover ; add a teaspoon of salt, a little pepper, 
and, if desired, a teaspoon of onion juice. Boil slowly 
until tender; add a little water from time to time as it 
boils away. Thicken with a tablespoon of flour mixed 
with a little milk or cream, and add a tablespoon of 
finely chopped parsley. Serve plain, or with border of 
hot boiled rice or dumplings. 

STEWED CAVY.— Melt 4 tablespoons Crisco or lard 
in saucepan; joint cavy and fry quickly in hot grease, 
then fry 1 sliced onion until browned, stir in 2 table- 
spoons flour and brown flour; now add gradually 2 cups 
water and stir until smooth. When boiling add salt, 
pepper and paprika to taste, and 2 tablespoons chopped 
parsley; simmer slowly \ l / 2 hours. Dish and strain 



CAVIES FOR FUR 

Cavy fur is being used at the present time, but not 
extensively, by a number of fur factories that substitute 
it for various kinds of fur. YVe believe that some time, 
without a doubt, there will be a season for the cavy fur, 
depending, of course, on the cooperation of the various 
cavy breeders throughout the United States, as there 
is no animal known that you can get the variation of 
colors from as you can from the guinea pig, or cavy. 

The public at this age is looking for effective colors, 
and coats and furs made from the cavy skins are unusu- 
ally attractive. We have a lot of breeders report to us 
that they have made automobile robes, gloves, scarfs, 
coats and numerous articles from cavy fur. It is beau- 
tiful and soft and glossy. The cavy breeders through- 
out the United States are turning more to the fur market 
than in previous years, and many of them report fur 
companies writing them for cavy furs in large quantities. 

Twenty-fi%/e 



PROFIT IN GUINEA PIGS 



IliHIIIIH inil!lllllllll!lllllllllllllllllll!lll!llllll!lllllll!!llllllllllllllllll!lli:illli!ll]!!lll[|l!lli!li 



!lllllllllll!lllllillllllllll>lllllll!lllllllllillll!l!llllll!!llllllll 




MRS. J. A. ROBERTS 

KNOWN AS REEKA ROBERTS ON THE SCREEN. 
YOU HAVE SEEN HER IN THE MOVIES. 
AND COAT MADE FROM CAVY SKINS. 



PROFIT IN GUINEA PIGS 

iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiin 

Personally, I believe the only drawback on the fur 
proposition at the present time is due to the fact that 
factories require the fur in such large quantities, and 
there is no one who can supply them, as most of the 
cavies are being used for laboratory purposes. The 
laboratories pay more for cavies than you can realize 
on the fur at the present time. 

Cavies. when they are used in laboratories in stan- 
dardizing serums, develop a high fever and temperature, 
which causes the hair to fall out, and for that reason 




MRS. CHAS. S. GIBSON 

Writer, Lecturer and 

Judge of Fur 

the fur cannot be used after the laboratory tests. Any 
business in the world depends on supply and demand. 
If the cavv breeders would cooperate and devote their 
time to advertising and talking the fur proposition, no 



Twenty-seven 



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doubt it would bring wonderful returns. The Western 
Cavy Breeders' Association, with headquarters at Colo- 
rado Springs, which has members throughout the entire 
United States, is doing a great deal in promoting the 
cavy for food and fur. The cavy industry is a very 
important thing in the United States at the present time 
and can be made more so by the co-operation of breed- 
ers. Therefore, I personally believe, you will be well 
paid for joining the above association and give a helping 
hand to the possibilities in this wonderful industry. 




RED ENGLISH CHAMPION MALE 



Twenty -eight 



PROFIT IN GUINEA PIGS 



Housing of Cavies 



A GREAT many ideas have been advanced along 
the lines of coops and hutches for cavies. How- 
ever, I would advise all intending to raise cavies 
to provide themselves with good hutches that 
will be serviceable and handy in caring for their stock, 
as any kind of a hutch will not do. If you expect to be- 
come a successful breeder and exhibitor of cavies, you 
should have good housing facilities for raising. 

We do not recommend outdoor hutches for cavies. 
It is better to have a small shed, garage, or some means 
of protection that is not draughty. However, if you 
have no other place to keep them than outside, we would 
suggest that you have your hutches built against a 
wall, so that they will have protection against draughts. 

Hutches should be built at least ten inches off the 
ground, and have a roof over them. Outside hutches 
should have a roof projecting about two feet in front 
of the hutches, so that in damp or wet weather the feed- 
ing and cleaning out arrangements may be handled with 
the least amount of inconvenience and discomfort. 

Cavies should also be protected from cats, dogs, rats, 
or any animal that will injure or destroy them. The 
floor of your indoor houses can have a dirt or concrete 
floor — it does not matter. Many poultrymen throughout 
the country convert their poultry houses into caviaries, 
building, of course, their hutches on the side that they 
will get the sunlight. 

People should use their own judgment in regard to 
this situation. We believe that the best method as to 
housing is as follows: Build your hutches 2 feet wide 

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by -1- feet long, using- l"x3" material. In these spaces of 
2'x4' you should have two trays, each tray being two 
feet square. These trays should have side walls of 
three inches. You will note that the l"x3" material is 
also used for these trays. The bottom of your trays 
should be built out of redwood or any light box lumber 
Y§ inch thick. Between one hutch and the other you 
should use y 2 inch square netting wire, which you can 
purchase at almost any hardware store, or screening will 
answer the same purpose; however, you should not use 
1-inch poultry netting, for this is too large a mesh and 
the young pigs will crawl through. 

You can build as many runs of hutches as you 
have space for and you can have them five hutches high, 
and this will be convenient in caring for tb~m, for the 
top hutch will be five feet six inches from the floor. 
The space between one hutch and the one above can be 
9 inches, 10 inches, or a foot, depending on the person 
who builds them. 

It is not necessary to have any small boxes in the 
corner of your hutches for cavies to have young in, as is 
necessarv for rabbits, as cavies would crowd into them, 
causing death of the young. Cavies, when tney have 
young, select a corner of the hutch and the others will 
not interfere with them. 

This space of hutch, as mentioned above (2'x4'), 
is capable of handling 4 females and 1 male, or 5 females 
and 1 male. 

When it is necessary to clean your hutches, which 
should be done about once a week, you will note that 
by having the two trays in the space that the cavies 
will pass from one tray to the other, so that you can 
draw it out as you would a bureau drawer and dump 
the contents into a barrel, or whatever method you use 
in cleaning the hutches. This method of housing makes 

Thirty 



PROFIT IN GUINEA PIGS 

iiwiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiimtiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiin 



WKrL r^ / 




NOTE HOW HUTCHES ARE BUILT 

This is one of the best housing facilities. 

cavy raising- no burden as to cleaning hutches. If you 
want to make two tiers of hutches together, you can 
use some wire as mentioned above between them. That 
is, for instance, a building 16'x30' long could have a 



Thirty-one 



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PROFIT IN GUINEA PIGS 

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double row of hutches in the center, and a building this 
size should be capable of housing one thousand breeders. 
You can, if convenient, have a little sunlight for the 
young pigs, for any animal puts on rapid growth when 
they have access to the sun. However, by this we do 
not mean that cavies should have no protection from 
the direct or intense ravs of the sun. 




THIS HUTCH WILL HOLD 45 CAVIES— 4 FEMALES 
AND 1 MALE IN EACH COMPARTMENT 

Cavies naturally are afraid of falling. While some 
people do not use any doors or screen in front of their 
hutches, this is entirely up to the breeder. If you think 
your cavies will form a habit of jumping out of their 
hutches, then it is better to use coverings in the front. 
We will, however, quote the United States Govern- 
ment's bulletin on "Hutches and Pens" : 

"Two methods of managing guinea pigs have been 
advocated— courts and hutches. In court management 
the animals are kept in open or covered courts in which 
they have considerable room to exercise. The courts 
are divided into smaller runs, each of which has its own 



Thirty-two 



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hutches or sleeping shelters. The size of the runs is 
governed by the number of animals to be kept in them. 
A run 6'xlO' would accommodate 30 to 50 guinea pigs. 
In a warm climate court management has certain advan- 
tages. It entails less labor in feeding and cleaning than 
is required under hutch management. However, for 
most parts of the United States indoor hutch manage- 
ment is the only plan that can be recommended. In 
cold weather artificial heat should be supplied. In fact, 
guinea pigs do best when the temperature is not allowed 
to fall much below 65° F. It is true that they are often 
kept in outdoor hutches in winter, and that huddled 
together in warm nests and well fed they survive the 
low temperatures, but such management cannot be rec- 
ommended. The animals do not thrive well under it, 
and there is a great danger of serious losses of the young 
through pneumonia. They should not be subjected to 
sudden changes of temperature or to dampness. 

Guinea pigs require about the same kind of accom- 
modations as rabbits. The same hutches would answer, 
but they may be smaller for guinea pigs. Those used 
by the Bureau of Animal Industry are about 20 inches 
wide at the front. Z T / 2 feet deep, and 18 inches high. 
These accommodate a male, three or four breeding 
females, and their progeny until weaned. The compound 
hutch is suitable for producing cavies on a commercial 
scale. Each compartment is 30 inches deep by 36 inches 
long and has a floor space sufficient for five or six breed- 
ing females with their litters. The number of compart- 
ments in a compound hutch may vary more or less, 
according to the requirements of the breeder. The net- 
ting used on the large doors may be galvanized sand 
screen or poultry netting having a mesh not greater than 
three-fourths of an inch. In tiered hutches of this sort 
there should always be enough absorbent bedding to 
keep the floors dry. Cheaper hutches may be made of 
packing boxes laid on the side and fitted with a door in 

Thirty-three 



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front, which would answer every requirement, but if 
many of the animals are to be raised in a limited space it 
is desirable to have hutches of uniform size. 

"A shelf about 4 inches high is recommended for the 
darker part of each hutch. The space under the shelf is a 
convenient retreat for females that have young - , while 
the shelf itself is nearly always chosen by the animals as 
a sleeping place. 

"Another convenient and cheap plan for indoor runs, 
is an arrangement of two decks, of five runs each, the 
floor of the upper being about 4 feet above that of the 
lower. The space between the decks is open and the 
walls of the runs are made of boards a foot wide. Each 
run is 5 feet long and from 20 inches to 2 feet in width." 




WORLD'S CHAMPION PERUVIAN 
Owned and Exhibited by Roberts' Laboratories 



Thirty-fou) 



PROFIT IN GUINEA PIGS 

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Feeding of Cavies 

THE feeding" of guinea pigs is a very simple matter. 
Their main food is good, dry hay or grass, and 
their green food consists of any kind of food that is 
not harmful, such as alfalfa, barley, carrots, lettuce 
and cauliflower, etc. However, the green stuff should 
not be fed immediately after cutting. It should be al- 
lowed to wilt for about an hour or two before feeding. 
You should feed cavies the amount of green stuff that 
they can eat in about 20 minutes in the morning and 20 
minutes in the evening. Green food should not be al- 
lowed to stay in their hutches at all times. This is where 
a lot of people make mistakes, by crowding green food 
into the hutches, which causes them to become damp, 
and is also a wasting of food. 

We recommend feeding cavies green food twice a day. 
For example, morning and evening, and at noon give 
them a handful of hay. Bran should be kept before the 
cavies at all times. We recommend bran because it is 
a very cheap food and is a wonderful laxative and keeps 
cavies in a very healthy condition. 

We do not recommend watering cavies when you are 
feeding them green food, as all green stuff contains 
about 95*/r water, and this is sufficient to take care of 
their needs. However, if you are feeding dry food 
entirely, then you should have water before your cavies 
at all times, except in cold weather, as explained in the 
following chapter. The city raiser can most always get 
lots of green stuff that the commission houses throw 
away. Stale bread is also very good food for cavies. 
We are, however ; listing a classification of the various 
foods which will be of value to you as to the different 
varieties of food for the cavy : 

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GREEN FOODS. — Lawn clippings, alfalfa (green), 
clover (green), lettuce, dandelions, carrots, celery tops 
or stalks, corn (green) or stalks, mangels, spinach, ap- 
ples, cauliflower, weeds, kale, barley (green), etc. Do 
not feed green stuff too wet. 

DRY FOODS.— Timothy hay, oat hay, clover, alfalfa, 
oats, bran, corn leaves, rolled barley, rolled oats, dry 
bread. 

Might add, however, that green clover and alfalfa 
during the summer, when you can get it, is wonderful 
food for cavies. 



WATERING CAVIES 

The watering of the cavy is entirely up to the breeder. 
If you believe that your cavies will do better with water, 
try it out for a short time, especially if you are feeding 




SILK EYE WHITE PERUVIANS 
Winners Where Ever Shown 



Thirty -six 



PROFIT IN GUINEA PIGS 

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them a considerable amount of dry food. Most authori- 
ties are about equally divided as to giving and not giving 
water. 

In the summer time, during the hot weather, we 
believe that stock will do better with water. However, 
in the colder weather cavies are apt to get their noses 
wet and thus sometimes cause colds, which perhaps will 
terminate in pneumonia. However, as stated above, we 
would suggest that you use your own judgment. 

In shipping the cavy, never place water in the ship- 
ping boxes. 

BREEDING OF CAVIES 

Show Stock. 

This subject should not be confused with the breeding 
of laboratory stock, for the reason that show stock 
should not be bred as often as laboratory stock. 

Gestation period of the cavy is 65 days, but it may 
vary a couple of days either way. You should mate 
your stock up in pens of four females and a male. 
Select the best specimens and watch which sows produce 
the best youngsters. In show stock you want less 
young, but good, hardy ones. Do likewise with the 
boars, find out your best boars that produce the best 
offspring. Sometimes a sow will breed winners to one 
boar and cavies of no merit Avhatever to another. There- 
fore, never part with a good sow until you have tested 
her with two or three boars. 

Do not dispose of a boar that shows results in breed- 
ing color, size and shape, but select his male offspring 
and try to get the same results on the young stock. 
However, do not breed the young boars until they are 
six to eight months old, and have them in condition 
when you mate the stock. The condition is very impor- 

Thirty-seven 



PROFIT IN GUINEA PIGS 

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PROFIT IN GUINEA PIGS 

uiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiuiin 

tant in show cavies at all times, and feeding has a lot 
to do in regard to making a success in breeding stock. 

As to breeding age, avoid mating sows too early — 
six to eight months being ample time. Try and mate 
your sows to older boars. Some breeders let the male 
run with the females only about ten days, while some 
breeders leave the male with the females at all times. 
Do not breed two cavies that have the same faults. 

BREEDING FOR COLORS.— Breed two cavies that 
have nearly the same marking if you wish stock to be 
of same color. Select your color markings and have a 
standard to go by and select your young accordingly, 
until you have your strains well developed in size, shape 
and markings. 

BREEDING OF ABYSSINIAN CAVIES.— In this 
particular breed you should be very careful in selecting 
your male pigs, for the reason that they should be as 
near perfect as possible and their coats should be thickly 
covered with rosettes. You should breed the best qual- 
ity females and also select your females with the most 
rosettes, as quality is bound to show in the breeding 
hutch, as well as the exhibition pens. You should try 
and select your foundation stock from breeders who 
have a reputation on this class of stock. It does not pay 
to buy them wherever you chose, as you should know 
their breeding qualifications. If you purchase faulty 
stock it will take years to overcome the defects. 

A FEW GENERAL HINTS.— It is not well to 
handle your sows when they are heavy or around litter- 
ing time, and in breeding show stock it is better to just 
breed two, or not more than three litters per year. 
Breeding show stock four or five times a year does not 
produce big, strong, healthy youngsters. In breeding 
this stock your aim is to produce size and conformation. 
Do not use your male cavies too much. A person wish- 

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RIBBONS FROM THE 
PANAMA-PACIFIC EXPOSITION 



PROFIT IN GUINEA PIGS 

llllllllilllliilllllillllllllllllllM 

ing to enter into the breeding of show stock should not 
be in too great a hurry, as it takes a great deal of time 
and patience. 

Many raisers, as I have stated before, leave their 
females all together; that is, four females and one male 
in a pen, while they have their young. This is not a 
good thing to do regarding this class of stock, but when 
you find a sow is getting heavy and near littering time, 
it is well that you separate her and place her in a pen 
by herself. However, I am not against sows littering 
together if you haven't sufficient room. 

If a sow has more than three young, select the poor- 
est stock and place them with another mother cavy. 
However, there are a great many ways in developing 
show stock ; for instance, if you have a litter of cavics 
born and there is one or two of them that you are 
expecting to enter into a show and that you want to get 
considerable growth on them, it is well that you leave 
only two of the youngsters with the mother, so that they 
will receive more nourishment and grow faster. Always 
feed your sows extra food when they have young and 
give them considerable attention and plenty of nice, 
clean bedding. Young sows may be kept together and 
also adult sows when not in breeding pens, but you 
should part the boars when they are six weeks old, 
putting them in separate pens until they are about six 
months old, or older, and ready for breeding. Another 
very important thing is not to get your brood sows too 
fat, and do not overcrowd your stock at any time. 

If you have some stock that you know is Al and you 
are pretty sure no one can beat you, it would be well 
for you to save them for show purposes yourself, as it 
will give you considerable publicity and prestige that 
will enable you to receive high prices for your stock. 
If you have prospective purchasers around trying to 
buy your stock, do not be too anxious to sell. In sell- 

Forty-onc 



PROFIT IN GUINEA PIGS 

llllll!l|]|||lllllllllllllillllllllllllillllllllilll!l!llllllllllHI!l!llllllllllllllllll!llllllllliillllll!llllllli:i!lll!llllllllllllin 

ing cavies it requires considerable salesmanship ; how- 
ever, as stated above, do not be too anxious to sell ; and 
whenever you do sell, do not consider that the cavy is 
your only object, but that you are also selling satis- 
faction. 

BREEDING LABORATORY CAVIES. — This is 
entirely different from breeding show stock, as you do 
not have to take as much pains and be as careful in your 
selection and mating of stock. We do not mean by this, 
however, that you should neglect them, for to be a suc- 
cessful raiser and breeder it is necessary that you devote 
time and patience with any live stock. 

Gestation period, as stated before, is sixty-five days, 
and cavies will breed immediately after having young; 
but it is better to let them wait a week or two weeks 
before breeding them, and young cavies are weaned at 
three weeks old. When you remove them from the pens 
they should be segregated according to sex, placing the 
males in one pen and the females in another. However, 
you should keep track of your different breedings so 
that you will not be confused in regard to the time you 
will be ready to mate up new pens of young breeding 
stock. However, you can breed laboratory stock any 
way you wish, except brother and sister. Breeding sire 
to offspring is line breeding, and some of the best stock 
in the country has been produced this way. The great- 
est strain of cattle in the country years ago was pro- 
duced in this manner by Thomas Bates, the great short- 
horn breeder of England. 

Mating laboratory stock is similar to show stock — ■ 
four females and one male. However, the laboratory 
stock you should leave together at all times, and with 
your hutches four feet high and two feet wide there is 
ample space for the four females to have young at the 
same time. Furthermore, it is a very good plan to have 

Forty-two 



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PROFIT IN GUINEA PIGS 



them all litter about the same time, as some females will 
have more young than others, and the cavy mothers 
will nurse each other's young-; it does not matter. If 
you should happen to have a sow die a short time after 
littering, you can always save the young if you have 
another female that is nursing. Laboratory stock breed 
at two months of age ; therefore, you can mate up your 
younger breeding stock at two months, but it is better 
to mate them with an older male, as this will produce 
more females to the litter, and as per records we have 
kept on a great number of breeders, they have produced 
60 % to 70% more females than males to litters, and, con- 
sequently, the females are worth more than males on 
account of breeding purposes. Laboratories throughout 
the country would just as soon have males for labora- 
tory use as females, and in marketing your stock to the 
large laboratories it is necessary that you become a large 
raiser, so that you can supply, them a certain number 
each week, or unless you are raising stock for a concern 
that do handle the laboratory trade. A great many of 




RIBBONS WON BY CAVIES 
Exhibited by E. D. Wheeler 



Forty-three 



PROFIT IN GUINEA PIGS 

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the smaller laboratories throughout the country use 
a few cavies each week. However, one of these labora- 
tories you could cater to nicely on a small scale. There 
are numerous concerns in the country that give out con- 
tracts to raisers that a great many raisers are connected 
with, and this assures them a market for their stock. 
Color markings do not make any difference in regard to 
laboratory stock, and the smooth English cavies are 
the ones that are used for this purpose. 

You should be sure when purchasing your foundation 
cavies that they are not the offspring of undesirable 
stock, as a great many small laboratories do not take 
precautions in destroying cavies after they have used 
them for serum purposes and sell them outside, and 
this stock is of no use to any one or any laboratory, and 
they do not breed and thrive as they should, because 
their blood is affected with whatever serum antitoxin 
they were inoculated with. 




Forty -four 



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Exhibition of Cavies 

GREAT care should be taken in selecting your 
stock for the show. Many successful breeders 
make their plans from the very day they enter 
into breeding cavies for show purposes. That is 
to say. they start at the earliest possible moment in pro- 
ducing cavies for type, size and color. 

In exhibiting smooth cavies, you should have as much 
gloss as possible on the animal's coat. If you can get 
your cavies to drink a little milk each day, this will help 
them greatly in producing glossy covering. The cavies 
must be sound and in perfect health, or it will disqualify 
their appearing. When you have a litter of young cav- 
ies that you wish to keep for show purposes, take out 
the smallest stock, or all except those that you figure on 
entering in the show. This will enable the stock to 
grow much faster and get more nourishment. Let this 
young stock run with the mother for a month or six 
weeks. When these youngsters reach two months of 
age they should be taken away and placed in a pen 
where they can have a lot of exercise. One of the 
features in showing cavies is steadiness ; however, some 
stock is very wild and hard to handle. This makes it 
bad to judge them, and a judge cannot judge their merits 
properly. This condition arises because the breeder did 
not handle his stock sufficiently before exhibition. A 
well-trained animal in any show ring has the winning 
chance on the judging stand if its other points are equal. 

SHIPPING CAVIES. — In shipping your cavies to 
the various shows, you should have your shipping coops 
of sufficient size and properly ventilated. Ventilation 
is a very important factor and should be arranged so as 



Forty -five 



PROFIT IN GUINEA PIGS 

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not to cause any draughts. A proper way for shipping 
show cavies is to bore one-half-inch holes close to the 
top of the box in each end. This will allow the air to 
pass in circulation without placing the cavy in draught. 
Stock should be shipped to the secretary of the associa- 
tion that is conducting the show and also have a return 
address, in case some one should make a mistake, and 
always label your shipping box "Live Cavies — Handle 
With Care." Ship your stock so that they will arrive in 
plenty of time and always pay the express on them, so 
that there will be no delay whatsoever, and do not for- 
get to put plenty of food to last vour cavies enroute. 
Feed your show stock cautiously and give them plenty of 
food which contains good nourishment. 

GROOMING CAVIES— It is an important thing to 
comb and get the coat of the cavy in the best of con- 
dition. Any cavy can be improved by sufficient groom- 
ing, and we will say a few words in regard to the smooth 
haired cavy : If you will rub your hand over the cavy 
a great number of times you will find that the coat will 
continue to become smooth, and this, of course, has a 
great deal to do in attracting the attention of the judge. 
Some use a chamois, although a silk handkerchief is 
very good in preparing cavy coats. 

PREPARING ABYSSINIANS.— Long-haired varie- 
ties require little different treatment : You should select 
your best youngsters, which have the most rosettes, and 
each day take them out of the hutch and stroke out the 
rosettes with the finger. This will make them form in 
better shape and also will cause the cavy not to become 
frightened and to sit comfortably in the palm of your 
hand at any time. This is an advantage to the judge 
in judging them. It is not a good thing to show young 
cavies until they are about three months old. Grown 
cavies should be handled practicallv the same as the 
youngsters. Never mind the appearance of the rosettes 

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of the animals, for they are perfectly natural and no 
one can produce them differently. If you are showing 
solid color varieties and you have one or two faulty 
hairs about the stock that are not desirable, it is well 
to pluck them out. Of course, there are a great many 
tricks in regard to showing cavies. However, a good 
judge most always notices them and takes them into 
consideration. 

PREPARING PERUVIAN CAVIES. — The Peru- 
vians are the hardest cavies to care for and require a 
great deal of attention in getting them ready for the 
show, because of the length of hair which they carry. 
You should thoroughly and carefully brush their coat 
and keep it from entangling, and the brushing will also 
bring out the brilliance of the fur. They should be 
combed each day, starting about a month before show 
time, and keep them in clean dry hutches, and it is well to 
keep each Peruvian in a separate hutch before the show, 
if not they will bite the hair off each other. 

We have mentioned how cavies should be shipped to 
the show, and if you desire to sell any stock during the 
show and you are unable to be there, it is well to take 
the matter up with the secretary and advise him what 
your price is on each animal. They generally charge 
10% of the amount of the sale as the expense money in 
selling your stock. Association shows always charge an 
entry fee, which generally amounts to about 50 cents 
for each cavy exhibited. Display pens are also charged 
for according to the number and size that you wish. 
Express is paid by the exhibitor, and generally the asso- 
ciation furnishes feed for the stock without charge to 
the exhibitor, and they also furnish a man in charge who 
will take care of the stock and see that it is properly 
handled, fed and shipped. 

Exhibition cavies are generally entered as senior 
female and senior male, junior female and junior male, 

Forty-sczrn 



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and this pertains to all classes. Stock should not be 
entered under four months old in the senior class, and 
no stock entered over four months old in the junior class. 

There are various premiums given by the different 
associations. Some in the form of ribbons, money and 
cups. 

CAVY BREEDERS* ASSOCIATION 

Every person engaged in the Cavy industry should by 
all means, as a benefit to her or himself, contribute to 
the support of this association by sending their name 
and one dollar yearly dues to the Secretary. 

We are doing everything in our power, with our avail- 
able means, to assist the raiser of cavies to broaden or 
increase his profits, to establish friendly relations and 
feelings among our members, and the Cavy breeders in 
general. We are sanctioning large Cavy shows and 
working for more of them. At these shows we place 
special cash awards for our members. 

We are fighting the express rates and hope soon to 
have them reduced to a single first-class rate. We are 
boosting the Cavy as a food product and the beautiful 
hide as a commercial fur. 

We will soon start issuing a quarterly bulletin (free 
to members) to keep them posted on the working, prog- 
ress, etc., of the association as well as what is doing in 
a general way in the Cavy world. With a large member- 
ship at present, and our growth continuing, we hope 
by January 1st, 1923, to have over 2,000 members. 
Think what can be accomplished with this money and 
the cooperation of this number of active members. Our 
officers receive no financial compensation for their con- 
tinual labor for the benefit of the Cavy industry, and 
fancy, we receive our rewards through the good work 
we have been able to accomplish with the splendid sup- 

Forty-cight 



PROFIT IN GUINEA PIGS 

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port and cooperation our members have and are extend- 
ing- to us and OUR and YOUR association. We are 
anxious and always glad to receive advice and sugges- 
tions from our members, and are always willing to help 
them whenever possible. 

As a little illustration of the work we are doing, will 
cite the Cavy Show held at Pueblo in connection with 
the Colorado State Fair. The Western Cavy Breeders' 
Association sanctioned this show. One of our members, 
Mr. Karl M. Frey, of Pueblo, was appointed Superin- 
tendent of the Cavy Department. 

All stock was exhibited in uniform wire cooping, single 
deck. Over $400.00 was paid in cash prizes, and in addi- 
tion many handsome silver cups, trophies and merchan- 
dise specials were awarded. The total number of 
Cavies on exhibition ran close to the 500 mark. One 
exhibitor showed 246 head. This entire exhibit (246) 
was sold at the show and shipped from the showroom 
direct to the purchaser. 

This show broke three records : 

First, being the largest Cavy show ever held in the 
United States. 

Second, the largest exhibit by one exhibitor at a show. 
Third, the largest cash premium awards ever awarded 
at a Cavy show. 

This coming season we will hold many sanctioned 
shows and hope to break more records, and are anxious 
to see how "BIG" we can really get, what good we can 
do and how many we can help and how many we can 
get to help others. 

In conclusion, will say that the Western Cavy Breed- 
ers' Association is proud of its achievements, proud of 
its members and proud of its name. It is the one and 
only real Guinea Pig Missionary Society in action today. 
We will surely appreciate your aid, cooperation and 
membership, for which — we thank you. 

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Ailments of Cavies 



C A VIES are really not subject to many diseases. 
Their susceptibility to ailment is closely related to 
quality, quantity and kind of food eaten. Feeding 
cavies at irregular times and in improper amounts 
are generally the sources of the common causes of in- 
flammation affecting the stomach digestive tract, from 
which losses among the animals may occur. Too sudden 
changes in temperature in localities where the freezing 
point varies considerably and also having insufficient and 
improper ventilation are common causes of pneumonia. 
Direct drafts will also cause this disease. If you will 
take due precautions as to feeding, cleanliness of sur- 
roundings, pure water, abundant room and reasonably 
even temperature and proper ventilation, you will pre- 
vent almost any of the diseases cavies are subject to. 
Some authorities state that cavies are practically immune 
from disease; however, this is not correct. In caring for 
your cavies, they should not be subject to wet hutches 
or dampness, which is generally the common cause of 
fatalities among the cavies. The following diseases as 
listed, with their symptoms and treatments, will be of 
great service in caring for the ailments of the cavies if 
followed carefully. 

Colds and Pneumonia. Symptoms : Cavy breathes 
fast, sides work in and out, hair stands up, animal is in 
dumpish condition and sits in the corner of the hutch, 
eats but little. You can generally detect a cavy well 
developed with this disease by mucus rails obstructing 
the breathing of the animal, which causes a slight 
roaring. 

Causes: Caused from drafts, sudden change in tem- 
perature, overfeeding of green food and keeping them in 

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wet hutches. Sometimes contracted by cavies being 
placed in a crowded express car and express piled on top 
of the boxes they are shipped in, causing the cavies to 
sweat and become overheated. In this condition they are 
placed in cold express offices where there is considerable 
draft. Cavies will contract an acute cold in six hours, 
which generally kills them inside of twelve hours. How- 
ever, if they pass over the acute condition, which is up to 
twelve hours, then they pass into the chronic stage, and 
they will prolong a considerable time, either showing 
improvement or death. 

Treatment : Separate sick cavies from the healthy 
stock. Give one teaspoonful of castor oil at night after 
feeding. Begin next morning with one drop aconite, 
placing in cavy's mouth with dropper morning and eve- 
ning until cured. Cut down on green food one-half. 

Crooked Neck or Tortocolis. Symptoms: The animal 
holds head to one side and goes around in a circle. 

Causes : Caused by drafts and catching cold, which 
affects the muscles of the neck, causing the muscles 
which is affected most to give the neck a curved appear- 
ance. Some animals recover from this. Although their 
neck is turned, they make very good breeders. 

Treatment: Massage the neck of the animal with any 
good liniment and give three drops of sweet spirits of 
nitre night and morning. This generally relieves them 
and often cures. 

Watery Eyes. Symptoms: Watery discharge from 
the eyes and sometimes from the nostrils, caused by a 
cold and sometimes the ammonia given off from unclean 
hutches. If caused from colds follow the same treatment 
as for colds and pneumonia. 

Paralysis. Symptoms : Hind quarters drag, weak 
backs, lower extremities of cavy immovable. 

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Caused from feeding too much alfalfa or overfeeding 
them with green food ; also damp hutches. 

Treatment: Give cavy 20 drops of sweet spirits of 
nitre twice a day. Rub the limbs and loin with some 
good liniment. Feed carefully for a few days and they 
will generally recover. 

Abscesses. Symptoms : Bunches form around the 
throat of the cavy, or perhaps on its back. This is caused 
by an overheated condition of the blood affecting the 
glands. 

Treatment : When the abscess is ripe and in a softened 
condition, clip the hair from around same and lance the 
abscess with a knife. Squeeze out the pus and wash sur- 
rounding parts with a good disinfectant and use a piece 
of cotton on a match dipped in iodine and swab cavity 
thoroughly. You can prevent these abscesses by feeding 
a sulphur tonic to your cavies. 

Premature Birth. Cavies born dead or born so weak 
that they do not live long. Sometimes the mother cavy 
may die also. This is most always caused by too much 
handling, by fright, falling, over-fatness or physical 
weakness. 

Treatment : Watch your cavies when they become 
heavy and ready to have young. If they are too crowded 
in the hutches, separate them. If you think they are too 
fat, cut down on the feed. Above all, do not handle your 
cavies when they are heavy. If you want to separate 
them from one hutch to another, you should have the 
cavies walk onto a tray and move tray and all to the new 
quarters. 

Lice. Symptoms: Animals become thin, do not seem 
to eat, scratch themselves considerably ; hair sometimes 
stands up and the cavy has sort of a dull appearance. 
Always look your cavy over about once or twice a month 

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for nits and lice, for these pests hinder the growth and 
breeding of stock and keep them in a poor condition. 

Treatment : If the weather is warm, it is well that von 
clip them, and von can generally get an animal clip that is 
prepared especially for this, as per directions from the 
manufacturer. Yon can dip the entire animal in the fluid 
and place them in the sun where it is warm so that they 
will dry rapidly, or near a stove if you wish. Dipping 
cavi.es is really the sure way of destroying lice. How- 
ever, if the weather is too cold for dipping, then use a 
good lice powder and dust same into the hair of the cavy 
and about the hutch. Do not be afraid of using too much. 

Diarrhoea. Symptoms: Animal discharges watery 
substance and gradually gets thin and will not eat, caused 
by too much green food, mouldy and half-cured hay. A 
sudden change of food is usually the cause. 

Treatment : Give them plenty of good sweet hay and 
omit the green food for a time, and give them one tea- 
spoonful of castor oil to eliminate the cause and feed 
them on dry food until improved. 

Broken Teeth. Sometimes cavies will fight in their 
hutches and cause their teeth to be broken. This is very 
bad for the animal, because it is necessary that you feed 
them soft food until their teeth have grown out. In 
showing stock it is a very important thing that your cav- 
ies have good teeth, as it is hard to condition an animal 
unless they can chew and digest their food properly. 

Blindness. Symptoms : Cavies have small white spots 
form on the eyeball. This is due to running straws into 
their eyes or sometimes from the poor condition of the 
blood. Many cavies shortly after they are born fail to 
open the lids of their eyes, caused from the lids becoming 
stuck together. It is well for you to watch your young 
stock so you can avoid blindness and spread the lids of 
the cavy's eyes open. 

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Treatment: A few drops of rose water and boracic 
acid mixed together is very good for clearing the pupil 
of the eye. 

Diseases of the Skin. Symptoms : Cavy loses hair in 
patches. On examination you will note little scurf on 
the surface. Animal sits around in hutch and does not 
move a great deal on account of soreness. 

Treatment: Dipping as mentioned above for lice is 
the best treatment, for a good disinfectant will destroy it 
in one dipping; however, you can use any good sulphur 
ointment, or ask for Fowler's Solution at the drug store, 
which is also very effective. 




Mickey Weaning Out the Young When They Are 
Three Weeks Old. Laboratory Stock. 



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Summary 



DO you know of any industry that you can enter 
into with less capital, less work and less worry, 
and yet show almost immediate results than the 
raising- of guinea pigs, which is an outdoor enter- 
prise and one that does not require all of your time, de- 
pending", of course, on the number of. stock you have. 
For instance, a person can care for 2500 breeders nicely 
by devoting his entire time to same. This will give you 
an idea of division of time in comparison to the number 
that you can care for. 

Many people, who are along in years, find this a most 
fascinating proposition, and one that they enjoy, because 
it does not confine them to indoor work. Numerous 
young people who are not so certain of a future enter 
into the raising of Cavies, and locate on small acreage 
where they enjoy the living conditions, which are great 
deal better than they could secure in the city, financially 
and otherwise. 

The Cavy development of the past has advanced very 
rapidly, and a great many people are entering the field 
each year. The field is large and the demand for cavies 
is steadily growing. 

Many women throughout the United States are now 
large raisers. The fancy has developed as much as 
the animal has been improved. The goal the breeders 
are working for today is a state of perfection and sym- 
metry, as those points appeal to the critic's eye. 
Numerous breeders are adhering to a certain type or 
variety, spending their time in bringing this particular 
variety up to perfection, and in that way demand 
higher prices for their quality of stock. Breeding exper- 

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iments have been tried for years, and success came as a 
result. Consequently, there are hundreds of people, all 
classes and ages, who have gathered together and organ- 
ized Cavy Clubs and Associations for the purpose of 
breeding and exhibiting better Cavies. 

Several notable women have established Caviaries 
and take a great deal of pride in their stock and exhibit 
them at the different Cavy shows. Competition is be- 
coming keen at the Cavy shows, and it takes a mighty 
good animal to win nowadays if there are more than five 
in a class, as the animal shows off well for the reason 
that they do not bite or scratch, and make very interest- 
ing pets. The long haired Peruvians, when properly 
groomed, make a beautiful sight, as their long, flowing 
hair is glossy and smooth as silk, and the animal itself 
gives the appearance of a fur muff, for its long hair cov- 
ers its head and feet as well as the body. 

Movie stars and professional people carry the Peruvian 
Cavies in preference to Pomeranian dogs. 

The newspapers throughout the country often take up 
the topic of Cavies and have published various articles 
in regard to them, which has done a great deal to the 
advancement of the Cavy industry. 

The Cavy is looked upon today as an animal returning 
large profits, and the day of raising Cavies as a hobby 
and pastime is passing, as people are taking it up as a 
business proposition for the benefit of all concerned. 
Cavies are claimed by some to be the fastest breeding 
and most thriving animal known if properly cared for. 
For the majority of animals classed under "Live Stock," 
it takes a considerable length of time to produce offspring 
and many months' time and money spent in growing 
them until they become useful. However, the Cavy is 
quite different — to our advantage — because they can be 
bred at the age of two months or so, and generally have 

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young" when thev are four and one-half or five months 
old. 

As a rule, animals are of considerable expense in rais- 
ing- before they get to the age when they will return a 
profit, but the Cavies are small and require very little 
feed, time and space. It is not necessary to have the 
spacious runs and kennel accommodations that are nec- 
essary for other animals. If you are raising dogs it 
entails an expenditure on maintenance and veterinary 
skill far beyond the reach of the pockets of many. Poul- 
try come under the same head. Rabbits are detrimental 
to sanitation if kept in the ordinary back yard. There 
are no objections to Cavies, if their hutches are cleaned 
once a week. 

It would be well for you to attend a Cavy Show and 
see the enthusiastic breeders talking the various varie- 
ties and the great interest shown at the judging bench 
when the stock is passed upon as to merits, etc., for 
here is where they undergo the keenest criticism. 

The sportsmanship in breeding and showing Cavies 
is the genuiness of their enthusiasm, and once you be- 
come infected with the germ, you will be an enthusiast 
forever. 

We believe that you will agree with us, after care- 
fully reading this book, that there is no other industry 
or occupation that can be started with so little expendi- 
ture of money, time or space, and at the same time that 
produces such good returns, as the raising of guinea 
pigs. Even a few pens properly cared for will not only 
furnish an abundance of pleasure and amusement, but 
will also be the source of a modern income, while if the 
business is conducted on a larger scale there is no limit 
to production and your profits will be just what you 
choose to make them. 

Guinea Pigs are more easily and more economically 
raised than any other domestic animal, and require less 

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room, less housing and less food. Their hutches can 
be quickly and cheaply made from ordinary packing 
boxes, while they thrive and develop rapidly on the 
simplest and cheapest of food. They are very healthy 
and hardy, do well in any climate, are clean in their 
habits and have no disagreeable odor as most other ani- 
mals have. These pleasing characteristics make them 
popular as pets and caring for them is a delight not only 
to boys and girls but to grown-ups as well. 

Guinea Pigs — or Cavies, as they are most correctly 
called — are native to South America and in their wild 
state are a trifle smaller than the domesticated animals 
and are of a rusty, grayish-brown color. Where the 
name "pig" originated or became connected with the 
Cavy is not thoroughly understood, as the Guinea Pig 
does not resemble pigs in any way, size, shape or habits, 
but are more like a rabbit in shape and habits, except 
that they have very short legs, short, rounded ears and 
no tail. They feed upon nearly all vegetable substances, 
but drink very little water. 

None of the domestic animals or pets are more prolific 
than the Guinea Pig. They begin to breed at from 
two to three months of age and can average four litters 
a year, as a rule. The number of young to the litter is 
from two to six, but three may be considered as the 
average. The little fellows are born fully furred with 
eyes open. In a few hours they are able to eat the same 
food as the mother, and in ten days or three weeks may 
be weaned entirely. 

Guinea Pigs are members of the rodent family, as are 
squirrels, rabbits, etc., and their diet is entirely vege- 
tarian. In summer time there is practically no expense 
to their feed, as they will grow rapidly on lawn clip- 
pings, dandelions, green cornstalks, or fresh vegetables 
such as carrots, beets or cabbages. In winter they are 
very fond of hay of any kind, also oats, bran, shorts and 

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other similar grain products. Table scraps, dry bread, 
etc., help to fill out an inexpensive ration. This small 
cost of feeding should have favorable consideration com- 
pared with the cost of food for poultry, rabbits, or other 
domestic animals, and is one of the reasons why the 
raising of Guinea Pigs is so profitable. 

In their wild state, Cavies live in burrows, among the 
crevices of rocks or beneath the large leaves of plants 
in marshy places. The domestic Guinea Pigs will live 
and thrive in most any kind of inclosure, provided they 
are protected from cold draughts and wet weather. They 
should also be protected from dogs, cats and rats. 

Because of their adaptability to most any climate or 
condition, Guinea Pigs may be successfully raised by any 
one and anywhere. They do equally well in the North 
where the temperature may drop to zero or below, and 
in the South where cold weather is unknown. The barn, 
the city back yard, a dry, well-lighted cellar or a spare 
room in the house, all are suitable places to raise Guinea 
Pigs. If kept in the house as pets, they are no more 
offensive than cats, dogs, or canary birds. 

There are several varieties of Guinea Pigs, but the 
ones most generally used and for which there is the 
greatest demand, are the English or smooth haired 
Guinea Pigs, the kind that is most profitable to raise. 
They grow very rapidly and should weigh from eight to 
twelve ounces at the age of one month or six weeks, and 
when fully matured weigh about two pounds or more. 
The colors are white, black, red, cream and mixed. The 
solid colors, of course, denote purer and more careful 
breeding and are preferred by some raisers, while others 
may prefer the mixed colors. Like cattle, the best mark- 
ings show the best breeding. 

Cavies are very popular in England, and we hope the 
United States wjll take as great an interest in Cavies 
as they have there. No show of stock in the foreign 

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countries is complete without an exhibition of Cavies of 
all varieties. 

A great many noted breeders in England have put 
forth great efforts in promoting the Cavy. Mr. George 
Gardner and Mr. C. A. House have written several books 
on Cavies, and as good books on Cavies give you the 
various ideas on this industry, it would be well for you 
to secure copies, for there has not been many books 
written on this subject. Other breeders who deserve a 
great deal of credit in improving and breeding stock are 
Mr. J. Walker, Mr. G. Billet, Mr. Alf. Outhwaite, Mr. H. 
H. Brown and Mr. A. Roberts. 

A few years ago the United States Department of 
Agriculture issued a bulletin. "Farmers' Bulletin No. 
525," called "Raising Guinea Pigs." which has been re- 
vised from time to time, for the purpose of interesting 
the public in this proposition, which we quote below: 

"Raising guinea pigs, or cavies, requires no extraor- 
dinary knowledge and no great outlay of capital. The 
animals are hardy, aside from being susceptible to cold. 
They are easily managed, and little space is needed to 
accommodate them. They make interesting pets and 
are useful as food animals and for scientific purposes. 
Medical research and other scientific investigations have 
created a demand for them which should insure remu- 
nerative prices to those who are favorably located. It is 
not advisable to breed cavies in large numbers without 
first being assured of a market. Profit in breeding the 
animals for scientific purposes is largely dependent on 
an opportunity of selling them promptly when they are 
from 6 to 8 weeks old. 

"This bulletin gives brief but plain directions for the 
management of guinea pigs. Since it was first pub- 
lished, in 1913, many persons have engaged in raising 
the animals for laboratory uses, and increased produc- 

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tion has tended to lower the prices. Importations have 
practically ceased. Production of cavies for exhibition 
and food purposes and for pets has increased, also, and 
many persons are breeding them solely as fancy stock. 

' . "Numerous inquiries received by the Department of 
Agriculture concerning proper methods of raising guinea 
pigs, or cavies, show a widespread interest in the subject 
throughout the United States. A few years ago w r hen 
the demand for guinea pigs for laboratory purposes was 
great the animals were very difficult to obtain, and, be- 
cause of the lack of production in this country, few were 
to be had." As a result, large numbers were imported. 
Importations have now practically ceased, but applica- 
tions; for information on breeding the animals continue, 
as they have a food value and are useful for experimental 
and other purposes. 

"Guinea pigs are raised chiefly as pets or fancy stock 
and 'for scientific purposes. The instructions herein 
given are applicable to either. These are based mainly 
on the experience of the Bureau of Animal Industry, 
which has generously allowed the use of the results of 
its experiments in the preparation of this paper. For 
several years that bureau has raised large numbers of 
guinea pigs in its investigations of heredity and the 
effects of inbreeding, as w r ell as for laboratory uses. The 
methods employed have been uniformly successful at 
both of. its breeding establishments near Washington. 

"The cost of raising a guinea pig to maturity (age 4 or 
5 months) at the department stations has been esti- 
mated by those in charge at from 50 to 60 cents. With 
their' own labor, private* breeders, especially farmers 
with plenty of green food at command, can reduce the 
cost by half. 

"In -medical research, especially in testing and stand- 
ardizing antitoxins, immature animals weighing 250 

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grams (nearly 9 ounces) are required. This weight is 
attained in about six weeks, and the cost of feeding 
the animals until suitable for this purpose will be cor- 
respondingly less. They sell at various prices, depend- 
ent on supply and demand. The average for several 
years has been about 75 cents. When this bulletin was 
first published (1913) the animals were scarce, and lab- 
oratories paid as high as $1.00 to $1.50 each for their 
supply. Increased production in America has since 
lowered the prices considerably and the average paid 
in 1921 was from 50 to 60 cents an animal. Even at this 
low price, persons who are favorably situated near cities 
or institutions requiring large numbers of guinea pigs 
may be able to establish a profitable business in supply- 
ing the animals. Aside from laboratory uses, there is a 
growing demand for them as fancy and pet stock. 

WILD CAVIES 

"Guinea pigs belong to a family of rodents known as 
the Cavidae, characterized by stout bodies, short incisor 
teeth, uncleft upper lip, nearly equal legs, and short 
or rudimentary tails. The front feet are four-toed, and 
hind ones three-toed. The family is exclusively South 
American and includes, besides the true Cavies, two 
other living genera, the maras (Patagonian cavies) and 
the capybara. All are rather closely allied in structure 
to the rabbits, and in their native habitats are hunted as 
game. About 20 species and races of true cavies have 
been described. Unlike the domestic cavy, or guinea 
pig, they all have constant colors and breed but once 
or twice a year. 

THE DOMESTIC CAVY 

"Of the origin of the domestic cavy little is known. 
When the Spaniards first invaded the Andean region of 
South America the animal was found domesticated and 

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living in large numbers in the houses of the Indians, by 
whom it was used for food. The cavy w r as carried to 
Europe by Dutch traders during the sixteenth century. 
Since then it has been kept in the Old World and in 
North America chiefly as a pet, and until recently has 
been generally regarded as an animal of little practical 
utility. The name "Pig" is readily suggested by its 
form, but the origin of "guinea" as applied to it is un- 
known, but may be a corruption of "Guiana pig." 



GUINEA PIGS AS PETS 

"For four centuries the guinea pig was regarded 
merely as a pet and bred for show and fancy alone. Be- 
ing a plastic animal, it was considerably changed during 
this period, and several strains and modifications of the 
original were developed. Thus, besides the smooth 
haired forms, we have the Peruvian, which is a very 
long-haired type, and the Abyssinian, a type with rather 
long hair standing out in curious rosettes all over the 
body. 

"The long-haired cavies are not recommended for 
ordinary pets, as their coats need much care. The 
smooth-haired require less attention and make equally 
attractive pets. They have the advantages of being 
easily kept and of never biting when handled. How- 
ever, it is not advisable to subject pet animals of any 
sort to much handling or fondling. Even dogs and cats 
are always the worse for such treatment, and pet rab- 
bits or guinea pigs soon show the results of much 
handling in their roughened coats and lack of sprightli- 
ness. Long-haired guinea pigs, especially if intended 
for show, require some handling, since the hair has to be 
brushed frequently. This is best done while the animal 
rests on a high shelf, where it need not be held during 
the brushing. 

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GUINEA PIGS AS FOOD 

"It is difficult to account for the somewhat prevalent 
notion that no rodents are fit for human food. Because 
of such prejudice, some people will not eat rabbits or 
squirrels, and probably many others are kept from eating 
such excellent game as muskrats and prairie dogs. 
While guinea pigs are seldom eaten in the United States, 
their near relationship to rabbits and the fact that they 
are wholly vegetarian in. habit should reassure any one 
who may entertain doubts about their fitness for the 
table. All the species of wild cavies are accounted good 
game in South America. Rock cavies, especially, are 
much hunted in parts of Brazil. Probably the small 
size of the domestic species is the chief cause for its 
neglect as a food animal, yet we have other highly 
esteemed game animals that furnish less meat than a 
guinea pig. 

"The Peruvian method of dressing the guinea pig 
for cooking is the one generally adopted wherever it is 
eaten. The animal is killed by dislocating its neck, after 
which it goes through about the same processes as a 
suckling pig in preparation for cooking. Its throat is 
cut, it is hung up for a few minutes to bleed, and is 
then scalded in water, not too hot at first. The hair is 
removed, the skin scraped with a knife, the viscera taken 
out, and the carcass w r ashed in tepid water. It is then 
ready to cook. The Peruvians usually roast the animals, 
but the number of possible ways of cooking them is 
unlimited. Charles Cumberland states that they are 
excellent eating when cooked in any of the ways that 
are applied to small game. They may be baked whole, 
or may be cut into pieces and fried or fricasseed. Says 
Cumberland : 

' 'Cavies are excellent as entrees in various stews — 
with mushrooms, with brown onions, with green peas, 
a la soubise, and especially in a curry. A practical cook 

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will have no difficulty in varying the preparations, and 
I will undertake to say that it will be found difficult to 
make them other than "very good meate." 

"On account of the whiteness of its skin the smooth- 
haired white (albino) guinea pig is best adapted for the 
table. The males become somewhat strong flavored with 
age, but are fine when 4 or 5 months old. Females are 
tender and finely flavored for a much longer time. They 
are probably at their best when about a year old. 

SCIENTIFIC USE FOR GUINEA PIGS 

"Guinea pigs are in much demand for experimental 
uses in the preparation, testing and standardizing of 
serums and antitoxins. They are well adapted for this 
purpose, being small and easily handled. Their use in 
medical research is steadily increasing, and some of the 
larger institutions, unable to secure a steady supply of 
reliable stock for their purposes, have set up breeding 
establishments of their own. 

"Sometimes guinea pigs found in bird stores are unfit 
for laboratory experiments. They may have been pre- 
viously used for serum or antitoxin tests or may be the 
offspring of animals that have survived such tests. Un- 
less the dealer knows the source from which the animals 
came and can absolutely guarantee that they have never 
been used for experiments, he can rarely sell them to 
institutions. Any breeder undertaking to supply animals 
to laboratories must give absolute assurance as to their 
suitability for experiments. If he can do this and fur- 
nish the animals as needed, he should be able to com- 
mand good prices for them and to establish a permanent 
and lucrative business. 

MANAGEMENT OF GUINEA PIGS 

"Few animals are as easily raised as guinea pigs. They 
are much less subject to disease than rabbits. The more 

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important items in their management will be explained 
under the headings : Selection of Stock ; Hutches and 
Pens; Feed and Feeding; Breeding, and Diseases and 
Enemies. 

SELECTION OF STOCK 

"Except for show purposes the only kind of guinea 
pigs that should be grown are the smooth-haired varie- 
ties. These are of several colors. Those with pink eyes 
are albinos, usually pure white but sometimes more or 
less marked with obscure spots. Occasionally an indi- 
vidual guinea pig is of a single color other than white. 
Thus it may be red. gray, brown, or glossy black, but it 
seems difficult to maintain a pure strain of 'serfs' except 
the white. The majority of domestic cavies are spotted, 
the common colors being fawn, light gray, red-brown, 
dark brown, and cream, interspersed with white or black 
or both white and black. The pigment of the hair usu- 
allv corresponds to that of the skin, which is white only 
under white or cream areas of fur. 

"If guinea pigs are raised for table use, light-colored 
kinds are to be preferred; if for scientific purposes, color 
is of little importance, although distinctive markings 
are desirable. When raised for pets or for show, the 
fancy of the breeder may be followed. In any case 
strong, healthy animals of good size should be chosen for 
breeding stock. A full-grown cavy in good flesh should 
weigh nearly two pounds. This weight will not often be 
attained under 18 months of age. Instances of 3 pounds 
weight for males at 3 years have been recorded. As a 
rule, females, except when pregnant, are lighter than 
males of the same age. The chief point in selecting 
stock is to obtain healthy animals that will mature 
quickly and attain a good size. 

HUTCHES AND PENS 

(See Article — "Housing of Cavies," by Government.) 

Sixty-si* 



PROFIT IN GUINEA PIGS 

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FEED AND FEEDING 

''Guinea pigs require about the same diet as rabbits. 
They eat frequently during the day and need a constant 
supply of staple dry feed. Three articles should be con- 
stantly in each hutch or run — a pan of water supplied 
fresh at least once a day, a piece of rock salt, and a pan 
for dry grain, which may contain oats, bran or chopped 
grain. The animals should also have a constant supply 
of hay. of which they eat large quantities, and a daily 
feed of green stuff. They eat almost every kind of green 
food that is relished by rabbits — cabbage, celery tops, 
and lettuce are especially acceptable, but fresh cut alfalfa 
and clover, spinach, kale, rape, and the like are also 
desirable green foods. For winter it is best to have a 
good supply of cabbages. These may be stored in the 
field, covered with leaves or straw, with a layer of soil 
on top, and may be brought in as wanted, so that they 
do not need to be fed in wilted condition. With a plenti- 
ful supply of green feed, guinea pigs drink but little 
water, yet it is well to have water always at hand for 
them. In the absence of green feed, water becomes an 
absolute necessity, as these animals refuse to eat grain 
without it. 

BREEDING 

"Guinea pigs breed at a very early age. The females 
are sexually matured when about a month old, but 
should not be allowed to breed so early. 

"The fecundity of guinea pigs has been greatly exag- 
gerated. Buffon states that they breed every six weeks 
and commonly have litters of 12 each. This error has 
been republished from time to time until it seems to 
have become fixed in the popular mind. As a matter of 
fact, many other rodents are far more prolific. The 
female guinea pig has but two teats, and her period of 

Sixty-ser>en 



PROFIT IN GUINEA PIGS 

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gestation varies from 63 to 70 days. Ordinarily five lit- 
ters may be expected in a year, averaging about three 
young each. The first litter produced by a female usu- 
ally consists of but 1 or 2. Subsequent ones are com- 
monly larger, but they rarely number more than 5 or 6. 
A female in her breeding prime may be expected to raise 
about 12 to 15 young each year. 

"Young guinea pigs are well developed when born, 
have the eyes open, and are fully furred. They are soon 
able to run about freely and within a day or two begin 
to take food other than the mother's milk. When they 
are about three weeks old the mother ceases to give 
them attention, but it is better to leave them in the hutch 
with the parents three or four days longer. The weaned 
animals should then be placed, each sex by itself, in sep- 
arate cages. Large hutches accommodating 50 or more 
of the young are desirable, but it is not well to keep 
males of different sizes in the same cage, as the stronger 
are apt to fight and injure the weaker ones. 

"When 5 or 6 months old the young females may be 
distributed to breeding pens. From 3 to 5 should be 
kept permanently with one male; but the best results 
will probably be attained with the smaller number, since 
the young when newly born will be in less danger from 
overcrowding. The males should be chosen from among 
animals older than the young females. Inbreeding is not 
considered harmful unless continued for eight or ten gen- 
erations. Usually the females agree well together, and 
when two have young at about the same time both nurse 
the progeny indiscriminately. Occasionally two females 
are antagonistic, and then it is desirable to separate 
them. 

"The hutches should be thoroughly cleaned twice a 
week and fresh litter supplied for the floors. Oat straw, 
chaff, fine hay, and sawdust all make excellent bedding. 
It is not necessary to remove or handle the animals 

Sixty-eight 



PROFIT IN GUINEA PIGS 

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while cleaning the hutches, but this should be done when 
it is desired to fumigate either hutches or runs. 

DISEASES AND ENEMIES 

"As already stated, guinea pigs are not subject to 
many diseases. Their susceptibility to ailments is 
closely related to the quality, quantity, and kind of food 
eaten. Improper, irregular, and deficient feeding are 
common causes of inflammation of the stomach and bow- 
els, from which losses among the animals may be very 
great. Sudden changes of temperature, particularly 
downward to the freezing point, and insufficient and 
improper ventilation, are common causes of pneumonia, 
which is extremely fatal among guinea pigs. Bountiful 
and judicious feeding, cleanliness of surroundings, pure 
water, abundant room, reasonably constant temperature, 
and proper ventilation are almost certain preventatives 
of disease. The coats of guinea pigs should not be 
allowed to become wet, and the hutches should be care- 
fully guarded against dampness, which is a common 
cause of fatalities among the animals. 

"The chief enemy of the guinea pig is the common rat. 
This pest is popularly supposed to avoid premises where 
guinea pigs are kept. On the contrary, it is attracted by 
the grain fed, and will not only steal the food of the 
cavies, but has been known to gnaw through the hutch 
walls and devour the young. The extermination of rats 
after they have thoroughly established themselves about 
the premises is no easy task. Preventative measures are 
usually much more effective. In a neighborhood that 
is rat infested, buildings intended for housing guinea 
pigs should be made rat proof." 



Sixty-nmt 



PROFIT IN GUINEA PIGS 

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PROFIT IN GUINEA PIGS 

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Special Articles 

Meat and Fur Production 

By E. D. Wheeler, 

Secretary, Western Cavy Breeders 1 Association, 

1315 W. Cucharras St., Colorado Springs, Colo. 

Shall embody in the following- article my actual expe- 
rience in breeding cavies on a large commercial scale. 
This will be of great benefit to the beginner and will also 
be interesting to the experienced breeder. 

During the fifteen years I have been engaged in the 
raising of guinea pigs, will say that at no time have I 
had less than three hundred breeders on hand, and often 
as high as thirty-five hundred. 

Have kept an accurate account of all receipts and 
expenditures, and the results are amazing in regard to 
the wonderful profits received from the stock. The 
demand for cavies has developed so fast in late years 
that I am compelled to return many orders for stock 
on account of the extreme shortage of cavies. 

I have experimented with all varieties, and have ran 
yearly tests to prove exactly what could be accomplished 
along different ideas and conditions. 

I have raised forty-nine pigs from one pair of cavies 
in one year. You can therefore see the remarkable pro- 
duction of these little animals. I placed 100 females (50 
virgin and 50 tried breeders) in 20 pens (5 in each pen), 
and in each pen placed one male, and in one year these 
one hundred females had 1,207. young. Females in the 
young greatly predominated. 

Seventyrone 



PROFIT IN GUINEA PIGS 

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lll!lllll]l|l!lllllllll!lll!!lll!l!> 



Guinea pigs are not unlike other stock when ready to 
market. We find at times the large cattle and hog rais- 
ers are reluctant to sell their stock on account of mar- 
ket conditions at certain times. Prices of stock fluctu- 
ate to some extent. It was during a time that prices 
were low that I found myself possessed of a large num- 
ber of males — -large ones that could not be delivered 
profitably on a ten-ounce contract. My solution of this 




^ 



?!: 



MR. E. D. WHEELER 
Secy. Western Cavy Breeders' Assn. 



problem was to interest several clubs and restaurants in 
cavy meat as a table food and as a result I am now reg- 
ularly supplying several customers with dressed cavies, 
and the demand is rapidly increasing. 

Their beautiful skins are in big demand, and when 
made into gloves, auto robes, fur garments, etc., bring 

Seventy-two 



PROFIT IN GUINEA PIGS 

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handsome prices. The tendency of the user of guinea 
pigs is to contract with a large breeder or dealer for his 
regular supply, and until a small raiser can equip him- 
self with sufficient breeders to insure his output large 
enough to get in the field in open competition it is best 
that he should make arrangements with some reliable 
dealer to handle his surplus. The first thing to do is 
to dress several males one-half to two-thirds grown. 
Fry them like you would a spring chicken, young rabbit 
or quail, and proceed to feast yourself thereon. Will 
venture to say that after you do this you will not be 
trying to dispose of a few odd males, but you will be a 
booster for cavy meat and you will see the future pos- 
sibilities of the cavy industry. You will increase your 
number of breeders and enlarge your plant, just as oth- 
ers are doing after proving to their own satisfaction by 
practical experiments and tests of the most rigid nature 
that "THERE IS MONEY IN CAVIES." 




You Will Note Cavies Do Not Take Up a Great 
Deal of Space 



Scvcnty-thrcc 



PROFIT IN GUINEA PIGS 

iiiiiiiiiiiiiihiniiiitiiniiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiitiiiiiiiiiiiin^ 



Breeding Show Cavies 



By E. D. CORRIN 
President of Western Cavy Breeders' 



Association. 



A few words of advice and some timely suggestions 
from an experienced cavy breeder. Every one should 
read them, for they contain something of value to all. 

Before commencing to get together your breeding 
stock, the beginner should carefully study the show 




E. D. CORRIN 

President of Western Cavy Breeders' Association 

Colorado Springs, Colo. 

Seventy-fox 



PROFIT IN GUINEA PIGS 

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reports in our fancier papers to see who are the success- 
ful breeders on the show bench and have stock for sale. 
Having done this, the next thing- to do is to decide 
which variety he wants to take up. In deciding on the 
variety, space, time and cash at disposal must be con- 
sidered. The room required for 20 English will only 
accommodate 10 Peruvians. The time required to look 
after Peruvians is much greater than that needed to 
care for a stud of English. The question of variety 
being settled, the novice should place himself in com- 
munication with some of our best breeders. Most of our 
leading fanciers may be depended upon. All leading 
breeders and exhibitors have a reputation to uphold 
and invariably are willing to do their best to help the 
new beginner who asks their assistance in the selection 
of their stock. 

Should a novice go to an experienced fancier and pre- 
tend that he knows all about cavies, he will make a mis- 
take. A conceited, know-it-all novice is almost certain 
to get fooled. In selecting stock a great point is the 
perfect healthfulness of each one selected. The future 
success of a caviary depends in a great measure on the 
healthfulness of the original stock. It is impossible to 
breed exhibition stock from unhealthy parents. All that 
you can do is to propagate disease and eventually death. 
A good test. as to health and vigor is the condition of the 
eye and coat. A cavy in good health is sleek and glossy 
in coat, while the eyes are bold, bright and glistening. 
A healthy cavy is active and fast in its movements. An 
unhealthy cavy is dull in eye, open in coat and is slow 
and dull in its movements. 

Having selected your cavies, they should be placed in 
nice, comfortable hutches, free from draughts and damp- 
ness, with about two inches of sawdust to absorb the 
moisture; thus the risks of colds, paralysis, rheumatism, 
etc., is considerably reduced. One boar and three or 

Seventy-five 



PROFIT IN GUINEA PIGS 

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four sows may be run together. In selecting sows for 
breeding you should always give the preference to young 
sows. It is an acknowledged fact among many of our 
leading scientific naturalists that the best results in 
breeding are obtained from young dams. In using young: 
sows, care must be taken to have a boar at least 15 
months old or over. This is most important. In regard 
to the age at which stock should be used for breeding 
purposes, I am strictly opposed to the use of stock 
before the age of 7 months at the youngest. If used 
earlier, the young are not so strong or so finely devel- 
oped as when bred from matured specimens. Sows that 
are savage and snap at their owner when he feeds or 
cleans their pens are not likely to make good mothers. 
Sulky disposed sows should not be chosen. The best 
mothers are found among those bright, happy individ- 
uals who know their master's step, listen for the sound 
of his voice, love the stroke of his hand and always greet 
his coming with joy and gladness, being expressed by 
their coming to the front of the cage and trying to con- 
verse with you in their own language, doing their best 
to thank you for your attention and care bestowed upon 
them. Young cavies intended for breeding should be 
allowed plenty of room for exercise, so that when re- 
quired for breeding their bodies are well developed and 
their constitution strong and healthv in every respect. 
Sows go with young 65 to 70 days. Some a little before 
and some a little later. Sows that are coming with 
young should be well fed. Personally, I like to feed 
soft food during this period : warm mashes composed of 
one part crushed oats, one part shorts, two parts good 
broad bran; should be fed every evening. In the morn- 
ing, good, sound, clean oats with a dish of water or 
milk should be given them. Toward the close of the 
pregnancy period, a feed of warm bread and milk should 
be given every morning. Plenty of green food or roots 
should be given during the whole period. Carrots are 

Seventy-six 



PROFIT IN GUINEA PIGS 

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much better than beets at this time; they are sweeter 
and more conducive to a good milk flow. Breeding sows 
should never be without liquid or green food in their 
pens. About a week before you expect young the pens 
should be cleaned out thoroughly and well bedded with 
sawdust and hay. The young should run with their 
mother until five weeks old, and during the whole time 
they should have bread and milk, night and morning. 
At this time hay and green food should not be forgotten. 
A sufficient supply of both should be given twice a day. 




IMPORTED RED ENGLISH SOW 

Bred for Quality 

Owned by E. D. Corrin 

When the young are taken from their mother the sexes 
should be separated; it is not safe to leave them together 
after that age. If they are well developed (and they 
should be) they are very likely to get with young, and 
if that takes place all your labor to ever raise a good, 
strong show specimen has been in vain. The individ- 
uals that look like developing into winners should be 

Seventy-seven 



PROFIT IN GUINEA PIGS 

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kept separate from ordinary stock and fed on a more 
luxurious diet, size being a big factor on the show bench. 

The young should be pushed as fast as possible from 
the day of their birth until the date at which they make 
their "debut" on the show bench. 

They should be fed liberally upon bread and milk 
mashes, good sound oats, hay, carrots and green food. 
What you put into them at this age will be returned to 
you when you put them into the breeding pen. Bran 
contains a large amount of bone-forming matter. The 
pen should at all times contain clean water. Water is 
a great preventative of disease. Many diseases are 
caused through the non-action of the kidneys, carrying 
all impurities with it, and thus the kidneys are kept 
healthy and in good working order. 

It sometimes happens that a sow does not suckle her 
young 'well. This condition may arise from several 
causes. Should this occur, the young should be trans- 
ferred to another sow that has recently had young. Tn 
moving the young to the foster-mother, you must see 
that she is a quiet, lovable mother and not liable to harm 
the little ones committed to her care. Cavies, as a rule, 
are very good in this way; they have no objection to a 
stranger or two among their own babies. If a foster- 
mother is not available, the young must be kept well 
supplied with new milk, thickened with fine oatmeal. 

Although some fanciers run one boar with four or 
five sows all the time, I think it is not advisable to do 
so. When the sows are seen to be with young the boar 
should be removed. As to whether it is best to let the 
sows remain together is a much-debated point. If the 
sows are littered together, it might be advantageous to 
do so, if they are a peaceable bunch. But it sometimes 
happens that they are not; even some of the best are at 
this time inclined to be snappy and irritable. When 

Seventy-eight 



PROFIT IN GUINEA PIGS 

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this is the case, trouble naturally follows and in the 
scramble some of the young are apt to be injured. To 
avoid this, it is advisable to remove the sows to sepa- 
rate pens a week or so before the young are expected. 
It is a great advantage, however, to have several sows 
littering about the same time, for this reason : if one 
mother goes wrong in any way, her young may be 
divided among the others ; or if one has a large litter 
and another a small litter, the mothering duties may 
be divided, to the benefit of all concerned There has 
been much argument as to when is the best time to mate 
sows. One thing is certain : they will more readily 
respond to the advances of the boar a day or two after 
they have had their young than at any other time. This, 
however, seems cruel and unnatural, to say nothing of 
the exhausting effect it must have on the sows' consti- 
tution and loss in size and stamina in her progeny. Per- 
sonally, I do not believe in such a system of breeding. 
It is not right that while she is suckling one litter she 
should be called upon to carry another. Both the born 
and unborn must naturally suffer, to say nothing of the 
strain upon the mother. 

If, however, she is well fed for four or five weeks 
after the young are taken from her, she will generally 
respond to the advances of the boar in a few days from 
the time of being introduced to him and breed strong, 
healthy young. 

Three litters a year is the most I take from one sow, 
and oftimes only two. What you don't get in numbers 
you get in quality. One good one is much better than 
a dozen poor ones. In all your breeding operations, 
remember that the great essentials to success are cleanli- 
ness, purity of food, regularity in feeding, roomy and 
well-ventilated pens and the selection of strong, healthy 
stock. It is useless expecting to become a successful 
breeder unless these points are well observed. Neglect 

Seventy-nine 



PROFIT IN GUINEA PIGS 

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EDWIN F. DIECKE and DR. J. A. ROBERTS 
Judging Cavies 

them and failure is sure to overtake you. Observe them 
and if you do not succeed you will at least have the sat- 
isfaction of knowing* that failure has not come from any 
fault of your own. This knowledge will spur you on 
to greater efforts, and success is bound to sooner or 
later put you on the list Avith the fancy breeders. Last, 
but not least, when you have become a successful 
breeder and away on top in the show room, do not for- 
get your own struggles and be ever ready to give a help- 
ing hand to the new beginner, for you must always bear 
in mind that the novice is the backbone of the industry, 
and you will be long remembered in the fancy class after 
your own activities have ceased as a true fancier and 
a gentleman. 

Eighty 



PROFIT IN GUINEA PIGS 

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Judging English Show Cavies 

(By JUDGE LEWIS S. J. GRIFFIN.) 
Colorado Springs, Colorado 

I will state briefly a few points, mainly how a judge 
places awards on English eavies ; also what constitutes 
the principal points to be considered. In dealing with 
the judge's point of view, one must imagine himself 
now a judge placing the awards. 

We will take our first class, Senior White Males : W r e 
will take for granted we have an even dozen in this class. 
Before this class is brought on the table we should be 
provided with a judging box, each compartment large 
enough that the pig can be seen from all sides (the box 
to my liking should be six compartments long, two 
compartments deep, with each compartment at least six 
inches wide by twelve long and not over five inches 
high). We now place the twelve pigs in the twelve 
compartments. Our first duty is to eliminate those pigs 
that do not conform to our standard. We find two with 
straight ears, two more with long, sharp noses, one with 
a rough, dirty coat, unpresentable for the showroom, 
leaving us seven good, well-formed pigs. 

Looking these over carefully, we find several slight 
faults, one with ears too erect, another with a small, 
sleepy eye, another with narrow shoulders, another with 
a nose too straight and long. 

Here we call for a box about 10 inches wide by 12 to 
18 inches long and will set up at least 8 to 16 inches over 
our judging table. This box is used to place our pigs 
upon — one, two, three or four at a time. They will 
sit quietly and not be running all over like, as if left on 
the table for comparison; besides, the}' are all lifted 

Eighty-one 



PROFIT IN GUINEA PIGS 

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closer to our eye and up more prominent, so we can see 
their style, carriage, form and color, and get a better 



light. 





JUDGE LEWIS S. J. GRIFFIN 

Our next move now is to compare these three or four 
pigs, showing their weaknesses mentioned before, to see 
if any further weakness can be found; if not, to consider 
which is the most or farthest from perfection, according 
to our standard. After we have eliminated down to five, 
it is then our duty to compare these pigs, point for point, 
one against the other, for further weakness, ever keeping 
in mind the perfect pig, which should be strong in the 
following points : 

Type : What is type ? An animal that has graceful 
form, prominent outlines, showing a well-developed back, 



Eighty-two 



PROFIT IN GUINEA PIGS 

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broad shoulders, high crown, thick neck, well-carried 
ears, a good short, blunt Roman nose, and one that stands 
up well in front with head up; eyes bold, large and as 
prominent as possible. There is nothing that pleases a 
judge more than to find a pig that is strong in type and 
will stand up to the touch of the judge's finger under the 
pig's jaws and show off his type and stand as if he knew 
what was expected and was proud of his ancestors' blood 
that he possessed. At this point we have decided which 
pig of the five has the best type and style, also eyes, ears 
and nose. 

As this is the white class, color usually is almost equal 
except ears, and in many cases we are able to decide the 
winner by his ear color, taking other points equal that 
have before been decided upon. The ear must be clean, 
bright flesh color, free from stain, smut, etc. 

Size of the pig is very important. The larger and more 
developed the pig in the Senior Class usually the better 
type he is able to present, and in most cases will show a 
better crown and broader shoulders at two years or older 
than a younger pig, but usually with age they develop 
coarser hair and usually not as smooth and soft a coat. 

Having now placed our first, second, third, fourth and 
fifth in this Senior Class of Whites, we are ready to pro- 
ceed to other classes. After finishing the whites, the 
color question takes a more prominent part. 

In blacks, we must have blacks, the more dense, with a 
bright luster, the better, with the black carried clear 
down to the skin, not a brown, bluish undercast. Further, 
some blacks have not a good body color, but a brown, 
dusty stomach color. This should be cut severely, for 
when judging black make them black, with type and 
points as given in the white class combined. Personally, 
I would rather favor a black with one or two stray off- 
colored hairs than one with a brownish cast or poor type. 

In the red classes, make the reds be red, not brown or 
rusty red. The red should have the fire and brightness 

Eighty-three 



PROFIT IN GUINEA PIGS 

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to it, similar to a rich bright ripe tomato, not a dull dead 
brownish or yellow red. 

In chocolates they should be chocolate, with good clear 
clean ears, a uniform chocolate color all over, not in 
patches. 

The Golden Agouti should be reasonably dark to carry 
the rich color. It should be cut clean on each side of 
stomach and carry well under the front and back legs, 
and do not allow the red stomach color to show or streak 
up before and back of the legs. The circle about the eyes 




BLACK IMPORTED BOAR 

as small as possible, and the color of the stomach to be a 
rich red clear to the skin, not dark smudgy under color. 
The Silver Agouti, likewise, should be uniform, with 
stomach color cut clean as in the Goldens. The entire 
body color should be a bright steel and not show the 
reddish cast as seen in so many Silvers. The owners of 
Silvers should handle them often, for usually they are 
very wild and do not show off their best points. 



Eighty-four 



PROFIT IN GUINEA PIGS 

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The cream pig* should conform as to type and style 
almost like the white, except eye, which should be dark. 
The color of a good cream is all important. This should 
be a light shade of cream, rather than the dark yellowish 
or reddish brown we so often see. Keep your color as 
light as possible, with the color carried down deep to the 
skin, with all type possible. 

Before closing this article a few suggestions to the new 
exhibitor may help him in the showroom. 

First, remember a big, bold, prominent eye is all 
important and the bolder and larger it stands out the 
better. Next, all type possible, with the color you are 
breeding to be bright and fiery and dense and the same 
color throughout. Take a lead pencil and rub the hair 
back against the coat so as to see to the skin and see that 
you have a bright, clean color, not dark and smudgy. 

Next, get all the size you can. When a pig is robust 
and heavy it usually is in good condition. 

Now for a good start for the showroom. When your 
pigs are born, place the mother with one or two other 
cheap sows and remove their young in order to give the 
nourishment from the two or three mothers to the young, 
and see the difference in these young at four months 
against those left with their own mother. Further, give 
them all they can eat of both green and dry feed at all 
times. Milk and bran also is a big help. 

Next, for condition of fur, use fine prairie hay, but 
before filling your pens where show stock is kept, wash 
this hay thoroughly and dry properly, bury your stock in 
this hay so they can run through this clean hay and use 
it as a brush to brighten and clean the fur. 

Last but not least, handle your stock every chance you 
can, train them to sit quietly on a box and pose in what- 
ever position they are placed. Above all, teach your 

Eighty-five 



PROFIT IN GUINEA PIGS 

||||!|[||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||lllllllllllll!llllllllllllllllll1lllllllll!llllllllll!lllllllllllllll!lllllllllillH 

animal to sit upright with the head erect and look you 
square in the face. This shows off the crown, back arch 
and head to best advantage. 

A last warning in exhibiting solid colored pigs, use 
your pencil and rub the hair or fur the wrong way under 
the jaws, on the breast between front legs and inside of 
hind legs for patches of off-colored hairs. These are 
usually the places overlooked by the novice and oftimes 
by an old exhibitor. These off-colored patches will dis- 
qualify your pig. 




MICKEY INSPECTING THE PIGS 



Eighty-si.r 



PROFIT IN GUINEA PIGS 

iniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiinhiiiiiiiiii iiijiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii !i!!iiii!!iiiiiiiiiiiiiinii iiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiniiiiiiii 



The Guinea Pig Industry 

By C. S. Gibson, Chief Judge, N. B. & F. A., Inc. 
Elwood, Indiana 

When we mention Cavies only a few people really 
know what we are trying to describe, but if we say 
"Guinea Pigs" nearly every one knows, for only a few 
people have not heard of the popular little Guinea Pigs. 

The Cavy industry has always been a large and profit- 
able one in the East, Middle West, and now California 
ranks as the leading state over all other states in the 
number of Cavies raised within its boundaries. This 
wonderful increase in the number of cavy breeders in 
California was brought about through the earnest en- 
deavors of America's foremost cavy breeder, Dr. Roberts 
of Hollywood. Dr. Roberts, single-handed, started thou- 
sands of people raising this profitable little animal and 
today the Cavy takes its place with the poultry, rabbits, 
fruit and other things which enter largely into making a 
living for many people in California. 

For a number of years the Cavy was looked upon as a 
pastime or sort of a joke with big business people, but 
since the laboratory has been using them in large num- 
bers the American public realizes what an important 
industry it has become. 

If it had not been for the Cavies some of our most 
wonderful serums would never have been discovered. 

During the late war they were also used extensively 
for detecting gas before it would reach the lines. They 
would be placed out ahead of the front trenches and 
always gave warning to the troops. 

Eighty-seven 



PROFIT IN GUINEA PIGS 

iniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiim 

A great many people also claim to have been cured of 
rheumatism by simply making a bedfellow of the Cavy. 

They are also used for exhibitions and a number of 
cases are on record where they have brought enormous 
prices. 




CHAS. S. GIBSON 

Chief Judge and Organizer of the National 

Breeders and Fanciers' Association, Inc. 

For laboratory experimental purposes the short-haired 
English are the ones used and come in the following 
colors: Broken Colors, Red, Black, White, Cream, 

Eighty-eight 



PROFIT IN GUINEA PIGS 

iiiiiiiiiniriiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii 

Chocolate, Tortoise and White, Golden Agouti and Sil- 
ver Agouti. These varieties are also used as exhibition 
types. 

The Abyssinian are the rough, wiry Cavies with 
rosettes. They also come in solid and broken colors. 

To a large number of people the beautiful Peruvian 
long-hair is the finest of all exhibition cavies. 

The cost of producing Cavies is so small and the profit 
so large we find the industry growing in leaps and 
bounds. 

We find the women are taking to this new industry 
and it affords them much pleasure as well as profit. 

Very few of the Cavy breeders at the present time 
can begin to supply the demand, so the future of this 
industry looks very bright indeed. 




Cavies Are Always Contented, Easily Raised, 
Cared for and Shipped. 



Eighty-nine 



PROFIT IN GUINEA PIGS 

iiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiH^ 



Climate and Cavies 

By ED. G. HABERSTROH, Cavy Expert, 
2140 South 35th Ave., Omaha, Neb. 

In territories where they experience extremely cold 
weather, as in the northern states, Cavies require differ- 
ent housing, and you should build warm quarters for 
them. However, cavies are not affected a great deal by 
heat or cold, but it is well that you protect them in the 
winter months by placing them in the basement near 
your furnace; if you are a city raiser, you will find this a 
very convenient place for them, and is handy in caring 
for them at the same time that you care for the furnace. 

Cavies have no odor whatsoever if their hutches are 
kept dry and are cleaned at least once a week. If you 
are located on a farm and have cattle or horses, it is well 
that you build your hutches in the same barn you keep 
the livestock, for the animal heat from the stock will keep 
them warm. 

Should you be a cavy raiser on a fairly large scale and 
have a hundred breeding sows or more, you should have a 
stove in your caviary that will take away the chill. How- 
ever, many breeders keep their stock out of doors winter 
and summer with no bad results, while others experience 
a considerable loss. Personally, I believe that cavies 
should be cared for and protected from the cold the same 
as any other animal, and they will repay you a thousand- 
fold by caring for them in the proper manner. 

Always have plenty of clean bedding in the hutches 
during cold spells if you are not located so that you can 
have warm quarters for them. 

Ninety 



PROFIT IN GUINEA PIGS 



■ 



ii: : 



Many raisers do not water cavies in the winter time, 
providing they can secure green foodstuff, such as car- 
rots, beets, squash or any other vegetables which contain 
water, as most of these vegetables contain about 95 per 
cent water, and this is sufficient to care for their needs. 




ED G. HABERSTROH 

Cavy Expert 

2140 South 35th Ave., Omaha, Neb. 

If you expect to have over one hundred breeding sows, 
it would be well that you erect a building about 10 feet 
wide by 20 feet long with a slanting roof, using tar paper 
for sheeting the inside of the building. A building of the 
above dimensions will house 500 breeding sows and can 
be put up at a cost of about $150. This may vary, accord- 
ing to the grade of material that you use. It is best to 

Ninety-one 



PROFIT IN GUINEA PIGS 

iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiNiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiin 






have a wood floor in the building, or a dirt floor will do 
if you do not want to go to the expense of putting in a 
wooden floor. However, many breeders have cement 
floors, but in the winter this is cold and sometimes damp. 
Build your hutches 2 feet by 4 feet, using two trays in a 
hutch, which are two feet square. This will make the 




Cavies Are the Greatest Mothers in the World, 
the Pose of the Mother Cavy So as Not 
to Lie on the Young. 



Note 



cleaning of the hutches very easy and you will not need 
to handle your cavies, for in handling them it scares them 
and they sometimes have premature young caused by 
fright. 

Cavies can be raised in any climate in the United 
States, only using judgment as to the territory where you 
are located. They are the easiest of all animals to raise 
and the most profitable, providing you have an estab- 
lished market for your stock, and the demand for good 
stock is advancing by leaps and bounds. 



Ninety-two 



PROFIT IN GUINEA PIGS 

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIHIIIIIIIII Illllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll I lllllllllllllllllllllll!lllllllllllllll!lllllllllilllllll!IHIIIII 



The Cavy Industry of the South 

OTTO MARTIN LOCKE, Jr., 
Southern Cavy Expert, New Braunfels, Texas 

When we speak of the South we generally have Texas 
in mind simply because it is the biggest state in the 
Union. The South may not be as highly developed in 
the cavy industry as the other parts of America, but it is 
coming along good and in a few years I hope to see it on 
the map. 

So many people ask me how I keep my cavies, as they 
state that they never saw any plans of Southern cavy 
hutches. I build a nice rain and draft proof shed, better 
a nice little house wherein you can make the pens suc- 
cessfully, as it is not best to keep cavies out of doors 
here in winter. 

In summer it is different. Then they may be turned 
loose on courts and they will be as contented as can be. 

The feed problem is not hard in the South, as we can 
plant carrots the year round and they will do well. And 
carrots is a food cavies like. Alfalfa can also be grown 
the year round, but I have tried some of the new Hubam 
clover, have bought some pedigreed seed from the orig- 
inators and find it is wonderful for cavies and grows like 
weeds. 

We also feed milkweeds and thistles to cavies and they 
are the finest foods, in fact cavies fed with these two 
weeds grew exceptionally fast. 

Real often I receive inquiries as follows : "Is there a 
profit in raising cavies in the South?" To these I reply, 

Ninety-three 



PROFIT IN GUINEA PIGS 

:||!llllll!llll![||llll!!lllll!lll|||]illlll!lllllllllllllllin 

"Yes, there is a good profit in the raising of cavies in the 
South, and also a great pleasure !" 

Have bred cavies of all breeds and colors successfully 
ever since 1912 and find the South is just the ideal spot 
for cavies. They thrive so wonderfully in our sunny 
South and I highly recommend the Southern people to 
take more interest in this noble animal. Yes, an animal 




OTTO MARTIN LOCKE, Jr. 



that gives its blood and life to let human beings live! 
The cavy makes a wonderful pet and cavy meat is very 
good. 

The cavy industry in the South is not at all developed 
as much as in other parts of America simply because pub- 

Ninety-four 



PROFIT IN GUINEA PIGS 

iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiin 

licity is lacking-. I hope that through this book many 
people will be interested in cavies and join us in this 
great industry. 

Cavies can be raised successfully in outdoor hutches in 
the South, provided they are damp and draft proof. 
Cavies can stand a good deal of cold, but they cannot 
stand drafts or damp hutches. The best way to raise 
cavies in the South is to build a house about 12x14 and 
have the hutches in this house in tiers. Of course, suf- 
ficient light and ventilation is essential and anyone can 
make a nice caviary. 

About the feeding problems of cavies, we do not have 
to worry, as we can raise green feed the year round here. 

Another good feed for cavies is alfalfa, which may 
either be fed green or cured. Green cornstalks are also 
excellent feeds for cavies and they will eat them whole. 
Cavies also do well on green or dried oats. 

I never feed my cavies mashes, as a mash will spoil 
within an hour if the cavies do not eat them. Whole and 
rolled oats are good cavy feeds, as well as rolled barley. 
Wheat bran is an excellent food for cavies. 

So in conclusion I say there is a great deal of profit in 
raising cavies in the South. More power to the cavy. 



Ninety-five 



iii;iiiiiiiiiiiiii!IIIIIIiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii]||||||||||||||!IIIII^ 

JOIN THE 
Western Cavy Breeders' Association 

The Association Worth While 
Colorado Springs, Colorado 

What is it? Who is it? 

LIVE CAVY BREEDERS AND FANCIERS. 

Why is it? 

It is its set purpose to promote the breeding of cavies 
in a profitable way — to boost the cavy in the showrooms 
by giving cash prizes to members at official shows — to 
boost and promote the cavy commercially as food in com- 
petition with poultry and rabbits. To have the now 
existing express rates reduced to a level with rabbits and 
poultry. We have said a great deal here in a few words. 
To accomplish this end we need your co-operation as a 
breeder, fancier and brother in the game. 

WHEN? Right now if you are alive and a booster. 

We Avant you. You want us. W T e also need your dol- 
lar. We need it along with all the rest we can get to 
accomplish the many good things we have in view f ov 
the benefit of the cavy industry and the man or woman 
therein engaged. Are you not willing to put a dollar a 
year against the time and labor our officers and members 
are devoting for the good of the cavy industry? 

Let us send you a membership card in "The Associa- 
tion Worth While." 

A one dollar bill or your personal check will do the 
trick. Send same to E. D. Wheeler, Secretary, Western 
Cavy Breeders' Association, Colorado Springs, Colorado. 

Please mention this book when sending for application. 



iiiiiiiiiiiiiuniuiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii^ 













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IIIIIIIIIIIII1IIIIIIIIIIII1111IIIIIW 

CaVy Supplies - Order Them Today 

Health Salt Spools a Necessity for Cavies. You Will 
Surely Need Them. 




Per dozen $1.20 



JARS— YOU NEED THESE 



ROBERTS 
CAVY JARS 




9 

Jars, each $ .25 

1 dozen or more, each 20 

ROBERTS HUTCH CARDS 

For marking and tabulating cavies. Each card full data 
for a year. 

Per dozen $ .12 

ROBERTS CAVY EAR TAGS 

Made of aluminum. Numbers stamped in the metal. 
Attach by punching a hole in the ear of the cavy, insert tag 
and then the washer, bend prongs to hold in place. 

Per dozen $ .25 

Ear Tag Punches, each 50 



™i!ll!1ll!!ll!!!lll!Mt1l!ni!!!!ll!Vlli™ 



Dr. J. A. Roberts' Disinfectene is a combination of harm- 
less ingredients compounded after years of experiment and 
is especially adapted for use with all kinds of pet stock. It 
is the best product of its kind on the market. It can be 
used without injury on any kind of livestock or poultry. 

Price, per one-quart can $1.00 

Sprayers, one pint capacity 75 



ROBERTS HEALTHENE 



To be used in drinking water for cavies if they have a 
cold or are sickly. Just a teaspoonful in a quart of water is 
a preventive against colds, pneumonia, bowel trouble, etc. 
Full directions on each can. 

Price, per one-pint can $1.00 



HUTCH CLEANERS 



Made of steel and is a wonderful help in making hutch 
cleaning easy. 

Price, each $1.00 

CAVY LICE POWDER 

Used with powder gun and prepared especially for cavies. 
Directions on package. 

Price, 1-lb. carton $ .50 

Jumbo Powder Gun 50 



CAVY SULPHUR TONIC 

For purifying the blood, keeping the digestive system 
healthy. Recommended to counteract the effect of diseases, 
as abscesses, boils, skin eruptions. 

Price, 1-lb. carton $ .50 



CAVY CONDITIONER 



Composed of mixed grains and herbs essential to build- 
ing up and strengthening the system and general health of 
the cavy. 

Price, 10-lb. sacks $ .50 

DR. J. A. ROBERTS LABORATORIES, Inc. 
6634 Sunset Boulevard HOLLYWOOD, CAL. 



iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiim 

2140 South 35th Avenue 
Omaha, Nebraska 

Raise Guinea Pigs for Us 

WE SUPPLY STOCK AND GIVE YOU A CONTRACT 

Send 25 cents for big booklet giving you information 
and telling you about Cavies. 

ED HABERSTROH, Manager 

Established 1 5 Years 
Please mention this book when writing. 

BIG BOOK ON RABBITS 

The Greatest Book 

ever written on this subject 

by 

CHIEF JUDGE CHAS. S. GIBSON 

Organizer of 

THE 

National Breeders and Fanciers Association 

INCORPORATED 

If You Are Interested in the Rabbit Industry You 
Should Have This Great Book 

Send One Dollar For Your Copy to 

Chas. S. Gibson Dept. R, Elwood, Indiana 

Please mention this book when writing. 



lllllllllllllillllHIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIillllllllllllllllllllllll^ 




Thousands of C A VIES 
(Guinea Pigs) every year 
raised from foundation 
stock supplied by us. Why 
not get into this clean, 
profitable, pleasant busi- 
ness and make big money. 



Pays for Herself Three Times a Year 

Cavies are not hard to raise and take but little space; the 
work connected with it is clean and pleasant and each 
sow pays for herself three times a year for between eight 
and nine years. She costs $2.50 and should net you be- 
tween $7.50 and $8.00. They are doing it for hundreds 
of our raisers. 

What Counts Most When You Make a Purchase 

It is the integrity and character of the persons with whom 
you deal. We have been established for over fifteen 
years. In all that time our service has been consistent 
and our dealings fair. 

OUR CONTRACT 

Means much to our raisers. It gives them a guaranteed 
market. Call on us or send 25 cents for booklet — 

How to Make $2,000 a Year 

Dr. J. A. Roberts, Pres. H. G. Gaussen, Sec'y & Treas. 

Dr. J. A. Roberts Laboratories 

Incorporated 

6634 Sunset Boulevard 

Hollywood, Calif. 



,.' > 




SUBSCRIBE NOW 

For the Leading Pet Stock Journal 

By All Means You Should Have 

This Valuable Journal 
Published Monthly $1.00 per Year 

Outdoor Enterprises 

for Pleasure and Profit 

Dept. R., 1 1 5 E. 31st St., Kansas City, Mo. 
Please mention this book when sending subscription 

BREEDERS ALL OVER 

Are Making Big Profits 
Selling This Book 

Profits in Guinea Pigs 

To Your Friends and Cus- 
tomers in Connection With 
Your Business 



WRITE FOR SPECIAL 
DEALERS' PRICE 



DR. J. A. ROBERTS 
6634 Sunset Boulevard 
Hollywood, California 




. : y. 



j» 



